The round of 16 is about to come to a close. With the approaching deadline day, the bets have begun to come in already. Speculations from fans, experts, and bookmakers have flooded in as the big question about who misses out on the final 12 lingers in everyone’s minds. Having dedicated nearly two decades to NASCAR, Denny Hamlin has a brief idea about how the future could unfold for some drivers.

While Hamlin is cruising with no problems raking in points, not all 16 qualified drivers have had a similar outcome. The struggle continues as Denny tries to predict eminent stars that could miss out on the next round.

Denny Hamlin is well aware of Kevin Harvick’s ability to churn out results

Joining co-host Jarred Allen in the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin came across various talking points. While the dramatic finish at Kansas took center stage, more topics came their way. One of the more debated discussions in the community has been about predicting the four drivers facing the axe after next Sunday’s race.

Hamlin chimed in with a forecast about how storylines could possibly develop after Kansas. He said, “Either way, we’re gonna have a big name miss the first cut, right? I don’t mean to fast-forward to head to the playoffs, but you can’t ignore it.”

Denny’s teammate Martin Truex Jr. is one such big name who has found himself in a situation of urgency. Despite being the points leader in the regular season, Truex has not carried the same form into the playoffs and is now facing a possible elimination.

“Truex is -7 now and he’s gonna have to beat the next guy, Harvick +7, Logano +12, Bell +13, Buescher +13, and Chastain +18. I would say if he gets in and replaces let’s not include Kyle Busch; Chastain, Logano, Bell, or Harvick, if any one of those guys misses it that is an upset,” stated the 42-year-old.

Speaking in high regard about fellow veteran Kevin Harvick, Denny understands the circumstances under which the #4 driver made his way into the playoffs. Being the sole ray of hope for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick has been one of the most consistent drivers this season despite having no wins under his belt so far.

“I think no matter what, we’re going to have… Logano has not been strong this year. It’s still Kevin Harvick man, the guy is still amazing as far as getting the results, the best result that the car is capable of,” claimed the #11 driver.

“His team cars are just not running well at all. Besides the RFK cars, the Fords just aren’t doing well. But Kevin Harvick isn’t on RFKs. So they’re finding a way for sure. They are in the danger zone for sure. The good news is we’re going to a short track where aerodynamics will mean quite as much. So the Fords have been good on the shorter-type race tracks,”  he further said.

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Big ups to Harvick for staying strong amid all the adversity around him, but to make it to the next round, it will require more than just a decent effort.

Ryan Blaney could have it tough

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney‘s situation has piqued Hamlin’s interest. As the discussion of possible names exiting from the playoffs continues, Hamlin expresses his concern over Blaney, especially considering his violent crash at Daytona in the regular season finale.

“You know when I look at the points standings though, the media and what people might see is he’s fine,” resumed Hamlin.

“The people that are nervous is from Blaney down. Keselowski, he’s +33, he knows that unless he crashes early, he’s probably gonna be in a good spot. He’s probably resting okay this week. I just think that Blaney +25 and below are the guys that are like I can’t screw up this weekend.”

Brad Keselowski has undergone a similar season to Harvick. The RFK Racing owner-driver has been the epitome of consistency in 2023 and continues to run strong in the playoffs as well, even fighting for the lead at Kansas on Sunday. Another driver that could end up in a precarious spot could be #1 Camaro driver Ross Chastain who was slapped with a penalty for a forgettable blunder from his pit crew.

“The +18 Chastain to the Harvick +7, if they don’t perform well, they could be out,” added Denny, voicing his doubts.

However, as the situation unfolds it guarantees high-octane racing amid the creeping desperation that could end up showing on the tracks next Sunday at Bristol.

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