Denny Hamlin has done just about everything there is to do in NASCAR. Three Daytona wins, 58 Cup Series victories, and one of the sport’s sharpest minds both behind the wheel and on the pit box. He’s not just a driver anymore; he’s a team owner, a mentor, a strategist, and in many ways, a modern face of the sport. But for all the checkered flags and historic moments, there’s one box he’s never been able to tick.

Yes, Denny Hamlin still hasn’t won a coveted title, equivalent of a ‘Grand Slam’ of the tennis world. And his nemesis? The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Brickyard has always been that elusive puzzle piece in his decorated career. And in 2025, while the race finally did end with a Hamlin celebration of sorts, the emotions weren’t exactly what you’d expect. As for this one? It hit different, for reasons only Hamlin took to explain.

The Brickyard highlights Denny Hamlin’s quest for NASCAR’s Grand Slam

Denny Hamlin’s impressive NASCAR career is marked by many iconic victories and milestones. Yet, there remains one elusive achievement — The NASCAR Grand Slam. To complete the Grand Slam, a driver must win all four Crown Jewel races: the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, the Brickyard 400, and the Southern 500. Hamlin, who has already won three of these, still has the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on his unfinished list.

Reflecting on the 2025 Brickyard 400, Hamlin candidly shared the bittersweet feelings he experienced watching 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace claim the historic victory. “It’s not my car number and it sucks that it’s not my team 11 out there doing it, but I’m still very gratified because, truthfully, I took our chances of winning out yesterday,” Hamlin acknowledged. His qualifying position was a significant factor in those slim chances.

Hamlin started the Brickyard 400 race back of the field after crashing in qualifying. Naturally, this severely limited his ability to contend for the win on a track known for its high competition. “I knew that there was just the possibility of winning from the back here was so small. Um, and not only that, I knew the car that we had was not going to be nearly uh as fast as what we had yesterday.” 

However, Denny Hamlin settled for a strong third-place finish, a solid outcome considering his challenges. He stated, “I just was content with getting a good finish and then I hoped that, you know, one of the 23XI cars that qualified up front could execute a good day and it looked like, you know, the 23 and 45 executed a good day.” That performance underscored his consistent competitiveness and team strength, despite falling short of the ultimate prize.

Though Hamlin couldn’t taste victory himself, he tasted it passively via his mentee and 23XI driver Bubba Wallace, who won his first Cup series victory since September 2022. When asked about whether it was a bittersweet feeling to watch this situation unfold, Hamlin said, “Yeah. I mean, because I had a role in it. I mean, I help mentor these guys and you know, they’re in my brain every single Monday and Tuesday, kind of, you know, I’m trying everything I can to teach them all the tricks in the book that I have. And so, I know that…I’d blown this chance for this weekend because of all the obstacles to try to win from the backs, you know, without luck it’s nearly impossible. So…this was the next best result.”

In the earlier seasons, too, Denny Hamlin fell short of winning at Indianapolis. His best performances (finishing 3rd) came in 2008, 2014, 2015, and now, 2025. Only a select few drivers, some of them being Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Allison, and the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., have completed ‘NASCAR’s Grand Slam.’

Hamlin’s pursuit of this rare achievement adds another compelling layer to his distinguished career as he continues to chase that final jewel. This bittersweet moment at Indianapolis highlights both the challenges and the legacy still awaiting completion in Denny Hamlin’s remarkable NASCAR story.

Denny Hamlin sets next mission for 23XI Racing

After celebrating Bubba Wallace’s milestone win at the Brickyard 400, Denny Hamlin immediately shifted his focus to the broader goal for the 23XI Racing organization. Hamlin emphasized how monumental it would be to land a win with all three of the team’s cars in the NASCAR Playoffs this season.

This year marks the first time 23XI Racing is on track to have two drivers, Wallace and Tyler Reddick, likely to clinch playoff berths. That milestone alone speaks volumes about the team’s rapid growth since debuting in 2021. But for Hamlin, that’s just the beginning. He stated, “Our next objective is getting a win with Riley,” and highlighted Daytona as Herbst’s best shot given its unpredictability and superspeedway dynamics.

Hamlin’s ambition isn’t just symbolic. Getting all three drivers, Wallace, Reddick, and Herbst, into the postseason would signal that 23XI has transcended from an upstart team to a legitimate championship contender. According to him, the team culture plays a big role: everyone pitches in across all three cars, fostering unity that he believes sets them apart from older, siloed operations.

He also reaffirmed his confidence in Wallace’s playoff upside. After making his first postseason run in 2023 and now delivering for 2025, Hamlin said he’s even more dangerous this year. Encouraged by Wallace’s maturity and backed by crew chief Charles Denike, a former U.S. Army officer whose disciplined leadership has impressed both Hamlin and Michael Jordan, 23XI is aiming to extend its momentum deep into the playoffs.

With the legal drama surrounding charter status still unresolved, the pressure is on. But a three-car playoff lineup and a first victory for Herbst could prove as solid evidence that 23XI’s future is more secure than ever. The next few weeks will show just how serious their championship aspirations have become, both in the present and future.