"Anything can happen": Denny Hamlin comments on Bubba Wallace-Tyler Reddick's promising result in playoff opener

Denny Hamlin recently looked back on the first playoff race at Darlington both as a driver and as a team owner. Hamlin, the driver of the #11 JGR team and the co-owner of 23XI Racing, experienced an overall positive raceday on both fronts in the Southern 500.

While Hamlin finished P7 and took second in playoff points standings, his two drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, finished in P2 and P6, respectively. Reddick's 2nd place finish and Wallace's 6th place finish ensured they sit 4th and 5th on the standings heading into Gateway on Sunday.

Following the race at Darlington, Denny Hamlin was asked whether it was satisfying for him to have a 'rebound night' like this, where he and both his cars ended up with good results.

"Yes, it definitely does. Good day all around for 23XI. Good day for us on the point standpoint. I wish we would have executed better to kind of see where we stacked up, but you'll have that. But overall, just you got to come out of days like today unscathed and obviously that the three of us have," he described.

When asked whether Denny Hamlin, the owner, would sleep well this week knowing his drivers are in a comfortable position in the standings, he said:

"Anything can happen. The guys that had a bad day today, they could have a bad day next week. You just never know. But certainly it lets you not panic. It certainly will allow you to have a little bit more poise when you head into these next couple races."

---

Denny Hamlin comments on his playoff approach with final four target

Ahead of the playoffs, Denny Hamlin candidly spoke about what could prevent him from making the final four this season. Hamlin, who is one of the most successful NASCAR drivers of all time, is still in search of his first Cup title. However, he hasn't made the final four lineup since 2021.

Speaking about what would ensure his place in the final four, Denny Hamlin said that one has to put in some good work in the regular playoffs and perform in the playoffs. He remarked that his record in the playoffs speaks for itself, as his average finish drops every year in the playoffs.

"We run better every year in the final 10 than what we do during the regular season. It's just a matter of all the other variables," Hamlin claimed.

Elaborating on the variables, the #11 driver recalled potential incidents like someone winning and knocking him out or someone riding the wall and knocking him out. He claimed he's 'so tainted' that he's now just nonchalant about it. Hamlin added he focused on winning races and seeing where that takes him.