So close, yet so far. It was a nightmarish finish for Denny Hamlin, just seconds before the checkered flag was waved at Kansas Speedway. With a spot in the Round of 8 on the line, the No. 11 Toyota driver was locked into a heated duel with Bubba Wallace for the win, and both drivers even made contact and washed up the racetrack in turns three and four. In a dramatic move, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran even shoved his own driver into the wall on the final turn, allowing Chase Elliott to close in out of nowhere and snatch the win.

Unfortunately for Hamlin, Lady Luck was not on his side in Kansas. Despite leading a staggering 159 laps, the 44-year-old suffered power steering issues and had a late pit stop under a late caution, leaving him fighting for the lead in the closing laps. He managed to rebound to fight for the win, only to settle for a runner-up finish, 0.069 seconds behind Chase Elliott.

Denny Hamlin credits team for lightning-fast speed

Denny Hamlin had a point to prove at Kansas Speedway. The 1.5-mile oval has been a happy hunting ground for the Virginia-native in the past, and with just a handful of races remaining before the Championship 4 race, the veteran knew he had his work cut out. Starting in second place, the No. 11 Toyota showed blistering fast pace as soon as the green flag dropped, and went on to sweep Stages 1 and 2 at the 2025 Hollywood Casino 400. It seemed like everything was lined up perfectly for a sixth win of the season for Hamlin until Chase Elliott snatched the triumph.

Sharing his thoughts after the race, a visibly emotional Denny Hamlin couldn’t help but say, “Just super disappointed, obviously. Wanted it bad, it would’ve been 60 for me. Team just did an amazing job with the car; it was really fast. Gave me everything I needed. Got the restart I needed, couldn’t finish it there in the last corner. Obviously, got really, really tight with the #23. Just got really tight and we let the #9 win.”

Looking back at what went wrong, the veteran said, “No power steering in that last runs, low voltage. Just a lot of things. I don’t think I’ve ever had a car that good to the competition. I wanted it for my dad, I wanted it for everybody. Just wanted it a little too hard.” Despite all his dominance, the circumstances simply didn’t work in Hamlin’s favor towards the end. He dropped from the lead to seventh after a slow pit stop, allowing Bubba Wallace to take the lead. However, Zane Smith flipped his car on the final overtime restart, giving the No. 11 a path to redemption.

What followed was a wheel-to-wheel battle. Wallace held his own against his boss, but Denny Hamlin wasn’t willing to let go without a fight. But while the two drivers fought for the lead, Chase Elliott sprang out of nowhere, smashed Hamlin in the door, and managed to secure his second win of the season. It seems like the Toyota drivers simply can’t work with each other, as last week, the 44-year-old was involved in an incident with Ty Gibbs at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Despite the Japanese manufacturer dominating the Round of 16, things haven’t been working out in their favor in the opening two races of the Round of 12.

Denny Hamlin doesn’t regret fighting for the win

Denny Hamlin is hungrier than ever to lift the Bill France Cup. Having spent nearly two decades in the Cup Series, the veteran racer has somehow managed not to win the championship despite coming close on several occasions. At 44, time is running out for the racer, who might be privately thinking that this season represents his best opportunity to lift that elusive title. The antitrust lawsuit with NASCAR has also given Hamlin the fire to succeed, and he’s not willing to let it go without giving it everything he’s got.

Sharing his thoughts with Bob Pockrass afterwards, Hamlin said, “I tried everything I can. Obviously, it was very difficult. Just super disappointed I couldn’t finish this one out. I would have raced everyone the same way. I’m going for 60. Nobody will ever accuse me of laying over anyone for a win. Obviously, to win a championship, we gotta figure out a way to move on. Out of love for me and the 23XI to battle it out, but obviously, I couldn’t turn the car well enough in the last corner.”

Denny Hamlin still has one race remaining before the Round of 12 ends. As things stand, he’s fifth on the points table, with William Byron and Ryan Blaney occupying the top spots after securing wins, followed by Kyle Larson. The Charlotte Roval will be a brand-new challenge for the veteran racer, especially because it’s a road course. It’s a venue the 44-year-old has never won at, but looking at the speed his No. 11 Toyota showed in Kansas, it’s well within the realm of possibility that he’ll be fighting for the win, even if Shane van Gisbergen will be the favorite at the Bank of America Roval 400.