The stage is set for the final 12 drivers to take the spotlight. After three weeks of nail-biting racing action, the names for the subsequent elimination round for this season’s playoffs have been confirmed. Some unfortunate names have missed out, including some big guns of the sport, like Martin Truex Jr. going down as a surprise. Truex’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin would be the pick of the drivers, arguably being the fastest driver on these three occasions.

As the season progresses, the next question that arises is, who are the 8 drivers that will move forward to the next round? Will there be some big-name exclusions, and if yes, who might replace them? Hamlin discusses the potential answers to these questions in the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental.

Denny Hamlin argues about his driver’s chances to make it to the final 4

As the final race of the post-season inches closer with every passing day, speculations and guesses about how the playoffs might unfold begin to make rounds. Denny Hamlin has shown promise this season to finally end his championship drought, being the driver to beat on all three weekends of the first round. But the #11 driver is also concerned about other drivers who might end up being his challengers for the title at Phoenix.

“I look at the list, and you know, my original final four’s still kinda 1,2,3,4.” starts off Denny. “I guess I wanna know from you. Tell me someone that is in this… the next 8 right? Who would be a surprise final 4? Let’s just say things don’t go as everyone planned right? Byron, Truex, Hamlin, Larson. Give me someone that will surprisingly make it to the final 4.”

Denny’s co-host Jared Allen believes that Denny Hamlin co-owned 23XI Racing‘s #45 driver Tyler Reddick might be the one who has the ability and the facilities at his disposal to make the cut. Implying the same, he said, “I like Reddick’s chances now a lot.”

Hamlin, being a team owner understands Reddick’s threat as one of the best talents around in the industry. Reddick also beat Hamlin to the finish line at Kansas, bettering his #2 finish in the opening week at Darlington.

“I’m hearing that quite a bit. Understandable. He ran top 3 in the first two. He ran mediocre, not his best last night“, replied the 42-year-old. Jared then explains where his opinion originates from. He believes Reddick has the required skill to get ahead of the curve just in case the favorites fail.

“If you go to Texas and have a good day and get out of Talladega unscathed, and then you go to Roval and be competent which drivers then are most likely to win those final three tracks before going to Phoenix is where I like Tyler Reddick,” stated Jared pushing forth his Tyler Reddick agenda.

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How things will unwind in the final 4 depends a lot upon what the list looks like after the end of the final 12 rounds, which is what’s up next for the qualified drivers. Only time will tell if Hamlin is right with his predictions.

Hamlin names his candidate to be a potential final 4 driver

As the conversation moved forward, Hamlin named his choice of driver that could be a surprise package in the final race of the season. Having faltered at the ultimate stage, Denny Hamlin understands the gravity of the situation very well. On a given day, there is no guarantee of the big guns rising up to the occasion to deliver the goods. No one knows it better than Hamlin.

However, when asked to choose one, the name that pops up in his mind is Chris Buescher.

“I’m gonna go, Chris Buescher. He’s just so solid right now. He’s putting himself in the top 5 most weeks and if any one of us has a bad round or two which is possible, the Bueschers, the Keselowskis, they are fast enough.”

The RFK Racing duo have been on the upward curve ever since their win at Bristol last year which came as a consolation for the team. Both the cars have displayed great pace and most importantly, been consistent and versatile. Buescher continues his solid run from the latter stages of this season when he racked up three wins with a clean sweep at Michigan and Richmond in consecutive weeks.

Looks like Denny Hamlin is aware of the possibilities that the situation could present for the #11 team.

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