“We’re going to see that”: Denny Hamlin makes a big claim about Kyle Larson as playoff showdown moves to Kansas

Denny Hamlin called Kyle Larson one of the leading favourites for the playoff race at Kansas Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver explained how Larson is better at carrying speed on the top lane, a trait that could come in handy at the Wyandotte County track.

Larson has always excelled at 1.5-mile tracks. He previously won in the spring race at Kansas, in addition to two other wins at the track. Moreover, the Hendrick Motorsports driver holds the track record for the best winning percentage(28.5%) and average finish(6.3) in the Next Gen Era.

However, Larson hasn't won a race since his disastrous attempt at the Indy-Charlotte double, and his recent outings haven't offered much hope. Although he consistently qualifies among the frontrunners, his race results have ultimately suffered. His seventh-place finish in the New Hampshire race marks his only top-10 finish in the playoffs so far.

Nonetheless, Hamlin believes the No.5 driver has what it takes to perform well at Kansas.

"There are certainly guys that are better at it than others, and we’re going to see that. There are just guys like Larson who know how to run the top lane there as good as anyone, and they can carry a car better than most drivers,” he said via Jayski.com

Larson, meanwhile, shared an alternate take on running the top lane at the 1.5-mile track.

"For the most part, everyone runs the top, but I feel like at the end of the run you can kind of move around and find some grip. It’s probably our best track for Next Gen racing because of the options.”

Denny Hamlin's last outing at Kansas was one of misfortune, as he was one of the seven drivers to retire from the race. He's currently two spots behind Kyle Larson in the playoff standings, ranking fifth with a 27-point cushion.

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Denny Hamlin sets playoff target for 23Xl Racing

Denny Hamlin went over 23Xl Racing's playoff targets on the latest episode of Actions Detrimental. According to the team owner, the next two rounds can swing either way, and a consistent points tally is needed to survive without a win.

"You can go out there, and you can have yourself a 50-point day at Kansas, and next thing you know, I bet you're going to be minus five, or what's maybe flat," he said via X/DirtyMoMedia. [0:44 onwards]

"They need a 50 point day and then they need to follow that up at the next track with a 35 point day and I think they have a chance," Denny Hamlin added.

Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick had a tough outing at the recently concluded Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The duo finished outside the top-20. Reddick was the better driver of the two, coming in at P21 with a top-10 finish in Stage 1.

Nonetheless, their lacklustre points haul placed them in the bottom two playoff spots. Reddick is 23 points below the cutline, while Wallace is 27 points adrift.