JGR’s “Weakest” Link Denny Hamlin Wrote Himself Off at COTA

Published 03/25/2024, 7:55 PM EDT

Last week at Bristol, Denny Hamlin had a standout win over his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr while everyone else was battling tire woes. And this week also, up until Stage 2 at COTA, things were looking pretty decent for Hamlin, even though road courses haven’t exactly been his strong suit.

After William Byron and Ty Gibbs headed into the pits, Hamlin took the lead and snagged a win in Stage 2. But the tide turned when the front-runners took their spots back and Hamlin had to make a pit stop on Lap 50. Reflecting on his P14 place finish at COTA, Hamlin not only took the blame but also hinted that it could have something to do with his age.

Denny Hamlin has figured out why road courses aren’t his strong suit!

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During the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix qualifying at Circuit of the Americas, Denny Hamlin secured an eighth-place start, tying his best at COTA from 2022. In his three races at COTA, his top finish was P14, with all his finishes in the top 20. But practice sessions showed him lagging, with speeds not cracking the top 20 in any category. Despite kicking off the season on a high note and starting strong, COTA remains one of his weakest tracks, and he admits road racing is not his forte in the Cup Series.

When Jared Allen brought up that Hamlin once considered himself a top-5 road course racer, asking what changed, Hamlin’s response was refreshingly modest. He credited his competitors’ improvements, particularly highlighting the young talent like William Byron, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs, who have leapfrogged past him. “I think others just have gotten better. I think we’ve had it or resurgence of young guys, Byron Bell Gibbs that have just jumped over myself,” he said.

Though he did acknowledge that the #11 car has previously shown speed on other road courses, like in Chicago, Hamlin seemed to set his sights a bit lower for COTA, aiming just to crack the top 15. He pointed out, “Because this has been, you know, the road courses are by far the weakest part of the 11 car. They’re, you know, and it’s not the 11 car, it’s the 11 driver. Let’s not get that twisted.”

But that’s not the whole story, according to Hamlin and his co-host from the “Actions Detrimental” podcast. Another factor they tossed into the mix? The other racers might just have the edge of youth on their side.

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Is Father Time catching up with #11?

Following his victory at Bristol, Denny Hamlin alongside Martin Truex Jr showed the racing world that experience counts for something. Yet, at 43, the same age as Truex Jr, who’s begun hinting at hanging up his helmet, Hamlin is still chasing that elusive championship win.

But on Hamlin’s own podcast, the topic of age as a factor in his racing performance came up. When Jared Allen subtly shifted the conversation towards the impact of aging, while talking about what other drivers have that he doesn’t, Hamlin didn’t dodge. He admitted, “Jared if I knew what made them better then I would just do it. […] I would say it [age] plays a factor because I can’t, I can’t run in the simulator five days a week. My body will not let me do that.”

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So, what’s your take on Hamlin’s show at COTA? Drop your thoughts below on whether 2024 could be the year Hamlin finally gets his championship.

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Written by:

Neha Dwivedi is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. As a journalist, she religiously believes in the power of research, which allows her readers to dive deep into her stories and experience the detailed nuances of the sport like never before. Being proficient with Core Sport and Live Event Coverage, she has written multiple copies on the top entities of Stock Car Racing, like Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Tony Stewart.

Edited by:

Aazima Basharat

JGR’s “Weakest” Link Denny Hamlin Wrote Himself Off at COTA

Denny Hamlin has figured out why road courses aren’t his strong suit!

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Is Father Time catching up with #11?