“Stay on the track that you’re at”: Denny Hamlin expecting consistency from Bubba Wallace in future despite playoff heartbreak

Denny Hamlin, who clinched a P7 finish in the season's final regular race, had already clinched his playoff ticket by winning at Bristol, Richmond and Dover. However, his 23XI Racing driver, Bubba Wallace, could not make the cut. As a co-owner of 23XI Racing, Hamlin discussed strategies for Bubba Wallace to prepare for future races, given the latter's near miss for the playoffs.

Hamlin emphasized the need for consistency from Wallace if he is to excel in the playoffs. Wallace was on the cusp of securing a playoff spot, but Chase Briscoe's win in the last race, which introduced a new winner to the playoff circle, dashed those hopes. Had there not been a new winner, Wallace might have secured a playoff spot, similar to last year when Chris Buescher's win at the final regular-season race at Daytona earned him a spot.

Nonetheless, Hamlin has offered Wallace advice on how to prepare for next season's challenges, focusing on sustained performance and tactical racing.

"Well, I mean, certainly if they run next year like they run the last 10 and 12 races they're gonna be in the playoffs sweat so I think my message to them is you know stay on the track that you're at and you know this is uh Sometimes you gotta... Walk before you run and I think that certainly You know, they've got, uh... Some good things going. Yeah, it's up to them to race freely now. Go out there and try to finish 17th on points," Hamlin said. [at 1:51]

Before the race, Denny Hamlin also mentioned that even though Wallace had shown significant improvement and performed well in the last 10 races, the pressure he faced in the 26th [final race] might have been lessened if the #23 driver had managed the pressure better in the previous 25 races.

On the other hand, Hamlin's second driver, Tyler Reddick, not only made it into the playoffs but also won the regular season championship title.

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Denny Hamlin leaves Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick in the dust in a playoff stat

Even though Denny Hamlin has yet to win a NASCAR Cup championship title, his consistency is hardly a new development. He remains one of the top competitors in the Cup Series, and there's a solid reason for that.

The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver has outpaced Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick in terms of consistent playoff appearances. By qualifying for the playoffs this year, Denny Hamlin has now achieved an impressive streak of 11 consecutive seasons making it to the playoffs. Previously, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch of the #8 Chevy team, and former Cup driver Kevin Harvick were all tied for the most playoff appearances.

Had Busch made the cut this year, he would have stayed side by side with his former teammate Denny Hamlin. However, despite his extraordinary efforts, Kyle Busch couldn't keep up with Hamlin’s impressive streak and failed to qualify for the playoffs this year.