Love him or hate him, Denny Hamlin’s 60th career win shook the NASCAR world. The 44-year-old has been the name on everyone’s lips ever since he punched his ticket into the Championship 4. And now, he’s in contention for the elusive Bill France Cup for the first time since 2021. Though nothing is guaranteed just yet, the title fight is very much on, and the momentum is on the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran’s side.

This win also puts Hamlin in an elite list of drivers. He is currently tied with 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick, capping off the 10th place in the all-time wins. But when Hamlin reflected on what this win meant to him, he went on to share an uncharacteristically humble opinion. He said, “I still feel like when I look at the names of the list that I’m now a part of, the top 10, I feel like my name does stick out as not one of the greats of the sport.” However, a NASCAR insider doesn’t share that stance and went on to back the veteran racer.

Bob Pockrass opens up on Denny Hamlin’s huge accomplishment

When asked about “the greatest drivers of all time that’s never won a championship,” FOX’s Bob Pockrass kept his answer simple. He said on PRNLive,” Well, I think it’s a combined, when you talk about round numbers, because not only are you talking 60 as far as wins, but you were talking top 10 and all-time wins, right? Kevin Harvick was 10th at 60 by himself. Now, Denny kind of joins him. So I think when you talk about a driver who has, who is in the top 10 and all-time wins, that is a huge accomplishment.”

It all came down to those last 10 laps that etched Hamlin’s legacy. Starting from ninth position during the last restart, Hamlin methodically worked his way through the field, overtaking two competitors before snatching the lead from his teammate Chase Briscoe, with just four laps remaining. With fresh tires and a relentless hunger to win, Hamlin held off the day’s most dominant driver, Kyle Larson, securing a 1.533-second victory margin.

This victory not only put him at the top of the leaderboard but also made him a favorite in the brutal dogfight for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. But Hamlin‘s crew chief is pushing to focus more on being a threat at every track than on fixating on the title. He said, “Obviously, you elevate your mind and what you think you can accomplish as you go further along into the year. We’ve had such a good year, we feel like we should be a frontrunner for the championship. I don’t think it’s going to change what we do. We’re going to take it a week at a time and a few weeks ahead on Phoenix, and that’s about it.”

The win isn’t just a statistical milestone; it also means a lot emotionally. Hamlin has been sounding off on his father’s ailment, and knowing that Dennis Hamlin saw him claim his 60th win means the world to him. Moreover, the Virginia-native had a difficult playoff, as he found himself in the center of so many controversies.

From spinning his teammate Ty Gibbs at New Hampshire to the controversial run-in with Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin has struggled to catch a break. The debate has been raging on social media about his team ownership and leadership qualities, and there were race manipulation concerns as well after his class with Ross Chastain. But despite it all, the No. 11 driver has remained focused on the prize.

The next two races will give Hamlin some breathing room. Talladega and Martinsville will allow the veteran to explore race strategy and car setup with crew chief Chris Gayle, as the two prepare for the biggest race of the 44-year-old’s two-decade-long career. And with teammates Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell very much in the mix, the No. 11 team is expected to play a support role in the upcoming fixtures. Gayle has already reiterated that he’s ready to give all the help to his driver to win the championship, while Dale Jr. refuses to buy Hamlin’s ‘retirement’ plans.

Dale Jr. refuses to put an expiry date on Hamlin’s racing career

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is confident that Denny Hamlin will continue competing in the NASCAR Cup Series for as long as he chooses. On the Dale Jr. Download podcast, the veteran racer discussed Hamlin’s career timeline and how long he might keep racing if he continues to rack up wins.

Sharing his thoughts about Hamlin’s future, Junior said, “He (Denny) said that he pretty much has an end date, or the end of the runway, in terms of his career. I guess that he’s happy to win whatever races there are in that short period of time. But should he still be winning at the end of that off-ramp, I find it hard to believe that he’s just going to hang it up and stop.”

Junior added that Hamlin might set new goals, such as matching the career wins of his late father and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. As things stand, Hamlin sits at the top of the leaderboard heading into Talladega and looks unstoppable. He’s just 16 wins away from the Intimidator’s 76 race wins tally, and Junior suggested that with three or four more strong seasons, Hamlin could come close to reaching the milestone. But with Hamlin’s latest contract ending in 2027, will the No. 11 driver continue beyond that? Let us know in the comments.