“Nothing would absolutely suck worse”: Denny Hamlin highlights one ‘frustrating’ scenario that could crush his NASCAR championship dream

On the latest episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin opened up about the scenarios that could affect his "dream" of winning the Cup Series title this year. During the podcast, he addressed the issues he faced this year and wants to fix them ahead of the finale race.

Hamlin remains the winningest active Cup Series driver without winning a Cup Series title, and this year, he has the chance to rewrite history. He has been performing consistently throughout the season. However, achieving the feat might not be easy for the JGR driver. He faced multiple mechanical failures this season, affecting his runs.

Denny Hamlin witnessed power steering and stuck throttle issues at Kansas and Talladega. He finished the spring Kansas race in P36 and the fall Talladega event in P24. Reflecting on that, Hamlin aims to fix these issues before the Championship Four race. He stated (via Motorsports.com):

“Yeah, it’s really, really frustrating because we want our results dictated by our performance on the racetrack. Nothing would absolutely suck worse than to go to Phoenix and have a mechanical (issue) or something happen that takes away (my) opportunity to achieve (my) dream."

“We’ve had issues with batteries and starters and clutches, and lots, lots and lots this year. I’ve had all three, and how should I word this … What if we hadn’t won (Vegas) and that was my championship hopes, and that is where my frustration lies.”

Denny Hamlin became the first driver this season to lock in his spot in the finale race at Phoenix. He secured his berth by winning the first race of the Round of Eight, the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, held on October 12, 2025.

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"I appreciate all of you so much": Denny Hamlin got emotional after his Las Vegas victory

Earlier this month, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin won his 60th Cup Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Later, after celebrating his win, the JGR driver appeared in a post-race interview and got emotional, achieving a new career milestone.

The #11 Toyota Camry XSE driver had his intentions clear about winning the race. He had a strong qualifying session and secured the fourth pole position of this season at Las Vegas. He was 0.04 seconds ahead of his #19 Toyota teammate, Chase Briscoe. Continuing further in the race, Hamlin witnessed a pit stop mishap when his front jackman struggled to lift the right side of his car.

Despite that, Denny Hamlin quickly recovered and crossed the finish line 1.533 seconds ahead of his playoff-qualified rival Kyle Larson. He then celebrated his 60th win, but with a twist. Instead of booing his fans, he appreciated them for being there for him. He told the press:

“It definitely means a lot. This is the point where I kind of give the fans some sh*t, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much. Obviously, want to say hi to my dad, family back at home, all the friends that came out here for Vegas, hoping we get 60.”

After the Talladega Superspeedway race, Denny Hamlin ranks fourth in the Cup Series points table with 4103 points. He logged six wins, 17 top tens, 14 top fives, and three pole positions in 33 starts.