"This could be the year finally": Denny Hamlin backed by NASCAR Insider for breaking 'the playoff curse'

Denny Hamlin heads into the playoffs third in the standings with a +23 advantage. In 2025, he had his best regular-season performance in terms of wins since the 2020 season.

The #11 driver has racked up four wins and seven top 5 finishes. Last season, he had as many wins in the regular season as he did in 2020, when he won six races and qualified for the Final 4.

And as per Katelyn Vincie, the co-host on the Happy Hour podcast, Denny Hamlin could be on course for yet another Final 4 appearance this season.

During the latest episode of the podcast, Kevin Harvick brought up Hamlin being third in the table, as he asked whether this would be the year he would break 'the playoff curse.' Vincie agreed with him. While Harvick deemed it an interesting situation, which he found 'very intriguing,' his co-host described:

"You asked me about those top four and I was gonna say Denny Hamlin. When I look at the body of work over the whole season, I think that he has shown probably the most consistency. Now, last weekend was not a representation of that. Everything that could go wrong kind of went wrong for the #11. But yeah, I think this could be the year finally for the #11."

Harvick also spoke about Kyle Larson and William Byron's chances in the playoffs. He claimed that both of the Hendrick cars were in a concerning state compared to the way they started their seasons.

The former NASCAR driver said that Larson has had some good finishes lately but hasn't shown 'ground-pounding speed.' As for Byron, Harvick deemed him 'hit or miss' while having speed and making mistakes.

Having said that, Harvick claimed that at the end of the season, it will all come down to mistakes and who makes fewer of them, on the track and on the pit road.

Denny Hamlin comments on how he'd change the playoff format

During a conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr. earlier this year, Denny Hamlin spoke about the playoff format. The JGR veteran has been a critic of the current format and has repeatedly raised concerns about the format's way of crowning a champion.

In his conversation with Dale Jr., Hamlin claimed that the format should be changed to a round format. He believed it would be a better way to reward 'the better champion.'

"Not that there’s been a champion that’s not been deserving, but it’s certainly the bigger the sample size that you give it’s going to be more indicative of your top drivers that perform week in, week out like you talk about. Not just one particular week," Hamlin described.

Denny Hamlin mentioned that he'd be in favor of a championship round as well, since there are all the other rounds. He added that there were enough compelling stories in the sport that the broadcaster could make it work.