It’s hard not to feel sorry for Kyle Busch. The two-time Cup Series winner has had a frustrating season so far, which has led to the 39-year-old being at risk of missing his 12th consecutive playoff appearance. Currently winless in 46 races, the Richard Childress Racing driver almost broke his streak at Daytona International Speedway recently, only to lose out on a final lap duel with Harrison Burton.
Despite not finishing lower than fourth in the last two races, Rowdy could end up in a situation he hasn’t experienced since 2012. While nothing but a win at Darlington Raceway would suffice in fulfilling Busch’s postseason ambitions, Denny Hamlin has taken this opportunity to question NASCAR’s controversial playoff requirements.
Denny Hamlin NASCAR’s ‘win and in’ approach
With the Cup Series playoffs at Atlanta Motor Speedway on the horizon, there has been plenty of talk surrounding NASCAR’s requirements for postseason eligibility. The sanctioning body has a ‘win and in’ format, which means drivers who secure at least one race victory during the regular season automatically progress into the playoffs, provided certain other criteria are met. However, what that does is that it prioritizes entertainment and a ‘win-at-all-costs’ outlook rather than consistency, which means the 16 drivers that can compete for the championship aren’t necessarily the best drivers at NASCAR’s highest level.
When asked by Frontstretch if Denny Hamlin can imagine competing in the playoffs without Kyle Busch, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver replied, “Yeah.. we might start planning for it (chuckles)..I know, but I think, this debate, Harvick had it, many had it, through this week about should win… I think there’s a balance to be there for sure. Should certain performance standards be in play? Yeah. I just don’t know necessarily if one win, especially on a Superspeedway or whatever circumstances it could be like that should move up 20 spots and points.”
“I’m just not sure. Maybe just thinking out loud. Does everyone go in the playoffs? Once you’re eliminated, you go back to your normal points position. Something like that where at least your whole season is put into the final result, not just one race that changed your entire trajectory.”
Denny Hamlin’s frustration is understandable. Kyle Busch, despite finishing no lower than fourth in his last two races and currently sitting 16th in the driver standings, is at risk of missing the playoffs. Meanwhile, Harrison Burton, who Busch has outperformed in consistency, will make the playoffs thanks to his win at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Similarly, Bubba Wallace, ranked six spots higher than Austin Cindric, might miss the playoffs, while Cindric’s win at the 2024 Enjoy Illinois 300 secures his spot. Despite securing four top-five and eight top-ten finishes, Kyle Busch’s only chance to make the playoffs is by winning the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
For Hamlin, the issue is clear: NASCAR’s playoff system prioritizes race wins over consistent performance, potentially excluding drivers who could be strong championship contenders.
Hamlin will pay tribute to Roy Hendrick at Darlington
Earlier this year, Roy Hendrick passed away at the age of 70. The son of legendary racer Ray Hendrick was a 14-time NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Division race winner and an idol to Denny Hamlin. So it should come as no surprise that the Joe Gibbs Racing driver will be featuring the ‘Flying 11’ paint scheme on his No. 11 Toyota Camry at the Cook Out Southern 500, to honor his childhood hero.
The JGR team took to X to share the news that Hamlin’s Toyota will be featuring the iconic paint scheme at Darlington Raceway. The tweet read, “𝙁𝙇𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂 11. The No. 11 @SportClips Toyota will feature the Flying 11 this weekend to pay homage to the late Roy Hendrick (top). Hendrick was a weekly competitor at Hamlin’s home track, Southside Speedway. The No. 11 Sport Clips team previously honored the Hendrick family, including Roy’s father, Ray Hendrick, by carrying the Flying 11 colors to victory lane in the 2017 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (bottom).”
Denny Hamlin, securing a strong result in the final race of the regular season is crucial. He recently received a severe penalty for an engine violation, costing him 10 playoff points and 75 regular points. This setback not only dashed his hopes of topping the driver standings but also threatened his championship run in the postseason.
Hamlin, winless since Dover Motor Speedway earlier this year, will aim for Victory Lane at Darlington. A win could help him regain momentum before the Round of 16 begins in Atlanta.
Do you think Denny Hamlin can secure a victory at the Cook Out Southern 500? Let us know in the comments!
