'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Denny Hamlin was "devastated" after the end of the 2010 Cup Series season as he lost the chance of winning the championship from Jimmie Johnson in the final race. Joe Gibbs shared a statement regarding the same at the time as Hamlin claimed it was his fault the team did not win.
The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has remained one of the most iconic ones on the NASCAR grid, having made his presence known since 2005. Despite 54 wins and over 350 top-ten finishes, he has never managed to win the Cup Series championship. He came close to winning multiple times; however, there was always something that kept him away from the ultimate title.
Something similar happened in the 2010 season when he was directly in battle with Hendrick Motorsports's Jimmie Johnson. Heading into Homestead Miami, the season's final race back then, Denny Hamlin was ahead in points. However, he looked a little out of place during the practice session itself. While Johnson qualified in P6, Hamlin was down in 37th. The chances of winning the title looked slim.
Trending
Johnson moved up and finished the race in 2nd place, clinching the title; meanwhile, Hamlin finished 14th. Joe Gibbs, owner of the team, recalled that the loss had taken a hit upon the #11 driver.
"I know when we walked out of the media center (in 2010), he turned to me and he made a comment like, 'I cost us that championship,'" recalled team owner Joe Gibbs. "I said, 'Denny, you got us here.' But it was truly devastating for him."
Denny Hamlin was deeply affected by the loss. He required a sports psychologist to move on and focus on the future. Over a decade later, however, the 44-year-old has still not won a championship.
Denny Hamlin blamed the NASCAR playoff format after elimination in Martinsville 2024
The 2024 season once again witnessed Denny Hamlin qualifying for the playoffs. This was another chance for him to clinch his long-awaited first Cup Series championship. However, the playoff race at Martinsville turned out to be quite a controversial affair.
Ryan Blaney led the race to qualify for the Championship 4, meanwhile all William Byron needed was finishing P6. As the latter put himself up in the safe spot, Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain in the other Chevrolets backed him up, stopping anyone else from overtaking Byron.
Denny Hamlin was left behind in this rubble and failed to qualify for the Championship 4, losing yet another chance to win the title. Post the race, he blamed the playoff format, stating that the championship turns into a three-race season.
"I can't emphasize enough that this is not just a Martinsville problem, this is every cutoff race problem. It's the format. I hate to say this is the format because you've only got a three-race season. So, it's always like NASCAR manufacturers that we're going to make these points keep resetting and tighten them up and tighten up the restart, we're going to tighten it up," Hamlin said.
Hamlin will return to racing with Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2025 season as well in hopes of battling for the title once more.
