Motorsports

Is it finally Denny Hamlin’s time to win the NASCAR Cup Series title?

Published

2 months ago

October 28, 2025

This could finally be the week Denny Hamlin sheds one of NASCAR’s most conflicted labels: The best driver to never win a championship.

When it comes to Hamlin’s career as a whole, the driver has nothing to mope about. He has 60 career Cup Series wins, tied for 10th on the all-time list, and three Daytona 500 titles. Hamlin has the credentials of a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Yet there’s a big fat zero in the championships column, which has always haunted him. Now, at age 44, the oldest full-time driver in the Cup Series field has another chance to call himself a champion — if he can outperform three other contenders in Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

“I’m not going to kid myself or downplay that this is a great opportunity,” Hamlin said slowly, drawing out his words before cracking a smile and adding: “But have I mentioned this is one race?”

More than any other driver, Hamlin has emphasized that indeed, anything can happen when the championship comes down to one race in NASCAR’s unique and controversial playoff system. The format is almost certainly in its final season, partially for that reason, with the sport’s power players leaning toward a championship determined by a larger sample size than just a single event.

But this is still the system for now, and Hamlin could conceivably win the title just days before his 45th birthday — an age when many of his modern contemporaries have retired.

That’s not the only reason a Hamlin championship in this season, of all years, would be one of the unlikeliest times for him to win it.

For one thing, Hamlin was suddenly placed with a new crew chief, the unproven Chris Gayle, as former crew chief Chris Gabehart was moved to the competition director role at Joe Gibbs Racing following the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Hamlin also began this year with a mostly bare team transporter, an indicator of sponsorship woes after longtime primary sponsor FedEx departed. That was a real worry heading into contract negotiations between Hamlin and JGR, since sponsorship woes previously forced the team to part ways with another future Hall of Famer, Kyle Busch.

Oh, and there’s the matter of Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, who co-own the 23XI Racing team, suing NASCAR over antitrust violations — a case which had Hamlin spend three days in federal court just last week.

Denny Hamlin’s win in Las Vegas earlier this month clinched his spot in the Championship 4. This will be Hamlin’s 10th finish in the top five, but so far, he’s never won the Cup Series title. (Logan Riely / Getty Images)

Yet here is Hamlin, as competitive as ever. How has he been able to do it? By following the familiar recipe that includes Hamlin’s special ingredient: His ability to adapt to his situation and surroundings at all times.

Hamlin is NASCAR’s chameleon, constantly changing his colors in order to fit in with whatever the moment requires.

“It’s why I welcome change,” he said. “I always want change. Do not let it sit and get too stagnant, because everyone is going to catch up eventually to whatever I feel like my edge is. I absolutely love change.”

Hamlin has raced in four different generations of Cup Series cars, reshaping his driving style each time. He believes his unusually high number of Hall of Fame-caliber teammates — from Busch and Martin Truex Jr. to Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards — each showed him a piece of what makes up the ideal driver.

So he decided to take aspects of each of their strengths and mash it into his own style, like a golfer rebuilding their swing.

But his adaptability showed itself long before that. As a kid, when he graduated to a faster and more challenging go-kart, he immediately jumped in and started ripping off wins. As a Cup Series rookie, he swept the unusually shaped, triangular Pocono Raceway in 2006 — and “somehow adapted quicker than some of the drivers that have been racing there for decades,” he said.

“I just do my best to figure out how to make speed out of whatever the change is,” Hamlin said. “If it’s a new tire? All right, educate me. Give me all the information you can. If (the tire) wants this, then I need to approach the corner like that.

“When it’s a new car? All right, the Next Gen (car) has got more drag, less downforce, more grip. How do I need to approach racing tracks now with this kind of car?”

Hamlin also had to adapt to what modern racing requires, which includes more studying. He ramped up his work ethic and notably spent 7.5 hours in the simulator before Las Vegas, then won that race.

Even his weekly podcast, “Actions Detrimental,” was created largely in response to the dire sponsorship climate — to help build his brand and become more appealing to potential backers. Now his car is trending toward being fully sold out for next season, with new sponsors like Progressive Insurance coming on board.

Seeing Hamlin in this position now seems like quite the turnaround from how the year was shaping up to unfold originally. He was paired with Gayle, who, despite crew chiefing at the Cup Series level for six full seasons prior to joining with Hamlin, had just two career Cup wins and had never made it past the first round of the playoffs.

Hamlin didn’t exactly sound optimistic prior to the season, both by making it known he was upset about the Gabehart move and giving only a meager vote of confidence publicly for Gayle.

“If this is honesty hour, (the hesitation) was because he was unproven,” Hamlin said. “When I’m in a JGR competition meeting, I always listen to the driver and the crew chief of whoever ran well that weekend, and they were never one of the top couple. So I never got to know him much, because I never really heard much from him.”

But Gayle, a NASCAR veteran with 37 career Xfinity Series wins — including 20 with Kyle Busch — never took the lack of faith personally. He figured Hamlin simply didn’t have enough information to know if Gayle was the man for the job or not, similar to the 24-hour period when Hamlin had to decide whether to accept Gayle as his crew chief (Gayle planned to leave the organization for another team if Hamlin said no).

“I don’t hold any bad blood for that. That’s an honest evaluation on his part,” Gayle said of Hamlin’s lack of initial enthusiasm over the hire.

And Hamlin didn’t mean it to be personal. Though he tried to keep an open mind, the driver now acknowledges he was “scared of the change.”

Crew chief Chris Gayle (left) and Denny Hamlin celebrate the Las Vegas win, their sixth as a team this season. Hamlin initially was wary of the abrupt change away from Chris Gabehart. (Logan Riely / Getty Images)

When The Athletic interviewed Hamlin before the season, with only one practice session under his belt, Hamlin seized upon the fact his car began the day off the pace and Gayle made adjustments to improve the speed.

“I was looking for any glimmer of hope,” Hamlin said now, looking back. “We rolled in with no sponsors, new crew chief, all that. I was looking for anything that was positive at that point.”

In reality, he acknowledged, “I was probably more pessimistic.” But it didn’t take Hamlin long to become fully convinced.

In late March, when the changes Gayle made for Hamlin’s car got the driver back to victory lane at Martinsville for the first time since 2015, Hamlin quickly realized Gayle was perfectly capable of giving him what he needed to win races — and maybe the championship.

“I realized with the right people around him and when he gets the information he’s seeking, he can do great things with a car,” Hamlin said. “I don’t think he ever doubted any of the other drivers he worked with, but he probably needed to lead them down a path (for a setup) — whereas I can lead him down a path. That’s a lot different of a dynamic.”

Their success has helped soothe the feelings surrounding Gabehart’s promotion, which blindsided Hamlin. Even though Gayle and Hamlin have better numbers in several categories than last year’s No. 11 team with Gabehart, Hamlin said he still doesn’t know how he would have done had the pairing been able to stick together.

“(Hamlin and Gayle) have won six races this year; would we have won three (with Gabehart)? Would we have won 10?” he said. “I know every little bit of all the facts, and I have no idea, truthfully.

“But I know that all of our cars are winning more races and I’m having as successful of a year as I have in the last three or four.”

Indeed, Gabehart’s leadership at JGR has led the team to two in the Championship 4 — only the second time an organization has done that — and 13 victories this season.

And Hamlin didn’t doubt Gabehart would achieve that success; it’s just that “selfishly, I didn’t want that.”

“Why are you going to break up one of the most successful combinations to do that?” Hamlin said. “I understand because it was the right thing for the organization, but it doesn’t mean I have to be happy with it.”

Team owner Joe Gibbs understands, but he also banked on Hamlin realizing that what could be good for the organization as a whole meant Hamlin’s own cars could also improve. And ultimately, that seems to have been the case.

“It wasn’t easy, I’ll put it that way,” Gibbs said. “But I couldn’t be more pleased with what’s happened.”

Now the team has Hamlin potentially on the doorstep of his first career title, 312 miles away from finally being able to silence the detractors who poke at the giant hole on his resume.

But Hamlin knows even if everything lines up exactly right and he does his job to perfection, there’s always the piano-falling-from-the-sky-moment that could ruin his hopes.

“Truthfully, in the bucket of luck, my (career) luck in the playoffs has been freaking horrible,” he said. “I only need it to be good for one more week. That’s it. Just hang on for one more week.”

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Motorsports

Vineland Trash and Recycling Collection Fee Set to Increase

Published

5 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

For the first time in five years, Vineland will be raising its trash and recycling collection fee from $24.00 per month to $28.00 per month. This decision comes after careful consideration of steadily increasing operational costs, including rising labor, insurance, and maintenance costs, along with three consecutive years of landfill tipping fee increases.

While the city has worked diligently to absorb these expenses and avoid passing them on to residents, the persistent impact of inflation on operating costs makes it no longer possible to do so without jeopardizing service quality.

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Motorsports

Kenny Brightbill Tribute To Be Part Of 39th Annual Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports Show – Speedway Digest

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Kenny Brightbill, a member of six different Motorsports Hall of Fames, will be a special guest at the 39th Annual Pioneer Pole Buildings (PPB) Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show presented by Can-Am, returning to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA, on Friday, January 23 (2 PM – 9 PM), and Saturday, January 24 (10 AM – 7 PM), 2026.

A special tribute honoring the 77-year-old Brightbill will be featured at the show and will include the iconic Pinto No. 19 Modified that the Sinking Springs, PA, native built and drove to many of his 426 career victories — including 135 at his home track, the Reading Fairgrounds. The original car has been fully restored to its racing-day condition and is part of John Mason’s extensive collection.

The tribute area will also feature a 30-foot backdrop wall showcasing photos from Brightbill’s remarkable 57-year racing career, highlighting his success in Modifieds, Late Models, Sprint Cars, SpeedSTRs, and appearances in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Brightbill will join Steve Post on stage both days of the show, along with several special guests, to share memorable stories from his career. He will also be available for autographs and photos, including signing a commemorative poster being produced for the event.

Career accomplishments include winning $50,000-to-win races on the mile tracks at Syracuse, NY, and Nazareth, PA, as well as capturing the Mr. DIRT Track USA title race at New York’s Lebanon Valley Speedway. His dirt Modified career also included 200-lap victories at Reading; New York’s Orange County, Fonda, Fulton, and Weedsport; and New Jersey’s Flemington and Bridgeport Speedways.

Over the past three years, the PPB Motorsports Show has honored legendary figures including Billy “The Kid” Pauch, famed sprint car owner Bob Weikert, and NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham. For the first time in show history, two tribute displays will be featured in 2026.

It was previously announced that NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Geoff Bodine will also be honored for his accomplishments in asphalt Modifieds and at NASCAR’s highest level, including his victory in the 1986 Daytona 500.

Friday evening will be highlighted by the Aqua Duck Water Transport–sponsored Ms. Motorsports Competition at 8 PM, with $2,500 awarded to the winner. Applications are available now on the show’s website.

Saturday afternoon will spotlight the younger generation with the Little Miss Motorsports Competition and the annual RAACE Foundation Big Wheel Races, both long-standing family favorites.

Pioneer Pole Buildings, based in Schuylkill Haven, PA, will serve as the title sponsor for the 15th consecutive year. Their expansive exhibit will once again welcome attendees at the show entrance, featuring company displays, PPB-sponsored race cars, and autograph sessions with many of their drivers.

The 2026 edition of the show will again offer a wide variety of attractions for racers and fans, including the Hard Core Racer Section with dozens of race cars on display; exhibits from speedways and racing series; collectibles and memorabilia vendors; and a schedule of free racer seminars.

For information on exhibit space, visit motorsportstradeshow.com, email [email protected] or call Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 before the event space sells out.

Special host hotel rates are available at the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn of Valley Forge/Oaks, both located on the Expo Center property. On Friday night, following the close of the show, the Hilton Garden Inn bar and banquet room will host the official Motorsports After Party, open to racers, fans, and exhibitors.

AARN PR

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Motorsports

Kyle Larson opens door to 24 Hours of Daytona comeback – Motorsport – Sports

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has a laundry list of racing achievements across a plethora of series, including 32 Cup Series wins, 17 O’Reilly’s Auto Parts Series wins, four Craftsman Truck Series wins, and two attempts at “Double Duty” between the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

However, one of his most prestigious wins arguably came in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona three times from 2014 through 2016, winning the title, and with it a Rolex, in 2015 with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Larson won in the Ford Riley DP alongside co-drivers Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan — both of whom are IndyCar champions — and Jamie McMurray, a fellow NASCAR Cup Series race winner.

Larson has yet to return to the wonderful world of the SportsCar Championship, having focused on NASCAR, his Sprint Car series, High Limit Racing, and occasional Midget races over the past decade.

However, now with his children quickly growing up and forging their own racing careers, Larson suggested it may be time to revisit IMSA. Should he do so, he may end up facing a familiar competitor in Connor Zilisch, who is set to compete in the race in 2026.

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“I think at this stage in my career, yeah, I would do it again,” he said on the ‘Dinner with Racers’ podcast. “I had fun those three years I did it. I didn’t want to keep doing it every year.

“And the offseasons have only gotten busier. There’s more races and stuff. I go to Australia now, Chili Bowl and West Coast Midget races. It’s just a lot and I, kind of, want time off.

“But it’s been so long since I ran it that you almost get to the point where you forget a little bit about it, right? And I just remember having a blast doing that race, so I just want to go there and relive it.

“And have my family there with me again because Owen, I think, was just born the year we won it and he’s gonna be 11 now this year. So have my kids a part of it would be cool.”

Larson and his wife, Katelyn Sweet, now have three children, Owen, Audrey, and Cooper, with both Owen and Audrey having followed in their dad’s footsteps in beginning to forge their own racing careers of late.

But while Larson later reiterated that he would “definitely” want to give it another shot, he’d understandably “want to be in the best car.”

He went on to add, “It ranks really high on my list of wins for sure. It’s such a unique win too, I’m the fourth string guy on the team, probably back then, but I just remember I’ve never won a race with a teammate, so it’s a really special, unique sort of win.”

While Larson’s NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports, has yet to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Chip Ganassi remains a constant in the series, although it has yet to win again at Daytona in the renamed Grand Touring Prototype class.

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Motorsports

5 possible additions to the Daytona 500 lineup (to guarantee disappointment)

Published

8 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Early in the NASCAR Cup Series offseason, JR Motorsports confirmed that they plan to make another attempt at the Daytona 500 after successfully qualifying in their first attempt this past February.

For the second year in a row, Justin Allgaier is set to pilot the No. 40 Chevrolet. He finished in an impressive ninth place in the team’s first ever Cup appearance in 2025.

A week ago, it was then announced that Jimmie Johnson is also set to return for another shot at the “Great American Race”, a race he’s won twice, after recording his best finish in any Cup race since 2017 with his third place effort in 2025. For the fourth straight year, he is set to drive the No. 84 entry for the Legacy Motor Club team he co-owns.

Johnson is widely expected to get the world-class driver provisional, which is the same provisional that locked Helio Castroneves into the 2025 race for Trackhouse Racing after he was unable to successfully qualify on speed or Duel result. It led to the Daytona 500 field consisting of exactly 41 cars for the first time since 1993.

According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Live Fast Motorsports have also confirmed that team co-owner B.J. McLeod is set to drive the No. 78 Chevrolet. The team have yet to qualify for the race since selling their charter after the 2023 season, despite McLeod’s attempts in 2024 and 2025.

All of these confirmations mean that there are already three non-chartered (open) cars on the entry list even before the calendar turns to 2026. And with just four total (five if Johnson gets the provisional and doesn’t qualify) spots open alongside the 36 chartered cars, there will likely once again be several drivers who fail to qualify.

Who else could be added to the entry list? Here are five strong candidates.

Garage 66

Some sources have already reported that Garage 66’s Daytona 500 entry is confirmed, with Casey Mears expected to drive the No. 66 Ford. Mears returned to the Cup Series for the first time since 2019 in 2025, though he hasn’t run the Daytona 500 since 2019.

Garage 66, formerly MBM Motorsports, haven’t successfully qualified for the race since 2020, with a total of five DNQs since then.

23XI Racing

23XI Racing have not fielded an extra Daytona 500 entry since Travis Pastrana ran the race in 2023, but that is expected to change as they continue to put together a partial schedule for development driver Corey Heim, who is somehow still without a full-time ride in any national series for 2026, in the No. 67 Toyota.

The 2025 Truck Series champion ran four races for the team this past year, and he twice finished higher than all three of the team’s full-time drivers.

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing are another team that haven’t fielded an extra Daytona 500 in quite a few years (2019), but that is expected to change in a month and a half.

Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series superspeedway ace Austin Hill, who tried but failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 in 2023 with Beard Motorsports, is expected to get the nod to drive the No. 33 Chevrolet in 2026, after running two superspeedway Cup series for Richard Childress’ team toward the end of the 2025 campaign.

Beard Motorsports

Speaking of Beard Motorsports, they have regularly competed in Cup Series superspeedway races, including the Daytona 500, every year since 2017, and that isn’t expected to change in February.

Anthony Alfredo drove the No. 62 Chevrolet for the team in both 2024 and 2025, though he failed to qualify for the race in 2025. Beard Motorsports have never failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 in back-to-back years, however. Will Alfredo return, or could newly crowned Xfinity Series champion Jesse Love, who also ran two races in the No. 62 car this past year, get his first crack at Daytona?

NY Racing Team

The team that returned to the Daytona 500 for the first time in 2015 with the late Greg Biffle behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet in 2022 are expected to be back again, despite failing to qualify with J.J. Yeley in both 2024 and 2025.

It would be quite the story if Yeley, or whoever drives the car, can get into the race for the first time since Biffle’s final Daytona 500 appearance.

Possible but not expected: No. 91 Trackhouse Chevrolet, No. 01/No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford, No. 50 Team AmeriVet Chevrolet, No. 56 Tricon Garage Toyota

All things considered, it’s looking like there will be eight drivers going for four (or possibly) five spots, meaning that at least three will be going home disappointed after failing to qualify.

Daytona 500 qualifying is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, followed by the Duel qualiyfing races on Thursday, February 12. The 68th running of the “Great American Race” itself is set to be shown live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15.

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Motorsports

K1 Speed champions get new route into Porsche series

Published

9 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Porsche Motorsport North America is adding an indoor-karting pipeline to its driver development ladder through a new multi-year partnership with K1 Speed, the companies announced. The agreement is aimed at turning K1’s points-based monthly racing structure into a more direct on-ramp for standout drivers to reach Porsche Sprint Challenge North America or Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West.

The arrangement has a public-facing branding component and a competitive incentive. Porsche Motorsport branding will be displayed across all 72 K1 Speed karting centers in the United States, while K1 Speed decals will appear on the front bumper of cars competing in Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West, and Porsche Endurance Challenge North America.

At the sporting level, the companies plan to select two drivers from among the top racers who reach K1 Speed’s national competition, one from the teen class and one from the adult class. For those two drivers, the entry fee for a future season in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America or USA West will be waived, according to the announcement.

‟K1 Speed hosts thousands of motorsports enthusiasts each year and all of us at PMNA look forward to connecting with them,” Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America, said. ‟Whether they are casual fans of motorsport or are searching for a path into professional racing, we are excited to introduce them all to the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid and the opportunities that it offers.”

K1 Speed said its arrive-and-drive model and monthly race series create an accessible starting point, with points earned locally and top finishers advancing to state and then national-level competition. ‟It’s an immense honor for K1 to partner with Porsche Motorsport North America to provide up-and-coming American racers with an extraordinary opportunity,” said David Danglard, CEO and Founder of K1 Speed and K1 Circuit. ‟We built K1 on the belief that future champions start here, and this partnership with Porsche creates a pathway to take them from our indoor tracks to the country’s greatest circuits.”

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Motorsports

The Longest NASCAR Team Losing Streaks Entering the 2026 Season

Published

10 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Your Sports Nation

What’s Happening?

Despite fielding two, three, and even four cars throughout a NASCAR season, teams competing in the sport’s highest level can fall into a winless drought. Some of these teams have long histories, while others are just getting started. Here are the longest team losing streaks in NASCAR entering the 2026 season.

To qualify for this list, you must be a NASCAR Cup Series team competing full-time in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season and have won a race during your time in the sport.
Teams will be added to this list on a week-to-week basis based on the time since their most recent win. Teams that have not won in 35 or fewer races will not be featured on this list, but will be added should they fail to win race 36.
Teams like Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS Racing) and Hyak Motorsports (formerly JTG-Daugherty Racing) will be featured on this list, with the most recent wins in their organization’s history used as their most recent win.

41 Races – Hyak Motorsports

Last Win: 2024 YellaWood 500

In 2025, new ownership reshaped what was once JTG-Daugherty Racing into HYAK Motorsports. Though the team had a new look, it maintained its driver, 2023 Daytona 500 Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr, alongside the Iconic No. 47. Unfortunately, the team was unable to find victory lane for the first time since 2022, finishing no better than fifth.

44 Races – RFK Racing

Last Win: 2024 Go Bowling at the Glen

RFK Racing had a tough 2025 season, failing to find victory lane for the first time since 2021, while fielding three full-time entries for the first time since Roush-Fenway Racing did so in 2016. While they may not have won a race, the team’s three-car roster showed promise, with hopes that a successful campaign in 2026 could result in a return to form.

76 Races – Kaulig Racing

Last Win: 2023 Bank of America ROVAL 400

Kaulig Racing fielded two full-time drivers for the first time since 2023 last season, and despite the return of the team’s winningest driver, A.J. Allmendinger, the two-car operation failed to win a race for a second year in a row. This year, the team is in limbo as they prepare for a deeper relationship with a new OEM in the coming years.

84 Races – Front Row Motorsports

Last Win: 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard

This past season will be remembered as a year of transition for Front Row Motorsports, which reshuffled its deck after losing Michael McDowell after the 2024 season. The team moved veteran Todd Gilliland to the No. 34, pushing a returning Zane Smith into the No. 38, and expanded to a new car, the No. 4, with Noah Gragson. This inconsistency showed on track, with the team missing out on a win for the second straight season.

117 Races – Legacy Motor Club

Last Win: 2022 Cook Out Southern 500

Despite all the hardships the team has endured since Petty GMS reformed into Legacy Motors Club, LMC had a banner year for both of its entries in the NASCAR Cup Series. Though they did not win a race, the team found themselves sitting just outside the gates at Darlington with both their drivers finishing in the top five.

234 Races – Spire Motorsports

Last Win: 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400

Spire Motorsports is continuing its search to find victory lane as a multi-car operation, and extended its lengthy losing streak to six seasons. Even then, most fans forget that the win with Justin Haley happened, as the team has evolved into a competitive team with a development program since that race in 2019.

This list will be updated race to race as the season continues.

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