Close Doesn’t Cut It For Hamlin In Homestead Playoff Bout

Denny Hamlin leads a pack of cars Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (HHP/Andrew Coppley photo)

HOMESTEAD, Fla. - In his 20-year NASCAR Cup Series career, Denny Hamlin has found himself in similar positions time and time again.

The usual scenario comes down to a strong season which then gets derailed late by struggles or circumstances and ultimately scuttles a championship effort.

On Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hamlin found himself leading with two laps to go and a guaranteed spot in the Championship 4 just three miles ahead. However, what could have been a clutch walk-off moment became a story of frustration, as he wound up finishing third after a wild final lap.

Hamlin’s momentum running the preferred top groove at Homestead wasn’t enough to clinch his spot into the title decider.

He was overhauled by playoff rivals in Tyler Reddick, who won the race in the 23XI Racing Toyota Camry XSE Hamlin co-owns alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan, and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who led at the white flag but similarly couldn’t convert a needed win into a playoff stunner.

“I tried to cover all lanes, but just couldn’t quite get off the corner as well as I needed to on the short run,” said Hamlin of how he tried to execute the final eight laps. “The short run wasn’t my specialty all day. When controlling the race with two to go, you have to try to find a way to finish it. I just didn’t.”

Now the 43-year-old finds himself in a must-win situation to unlock his fifth Championship 4 appearance since the modern playoff format was introduced in 2014. He sits sixth in the standings behind Kyle Larson, who finished 13th, and 18 points behind William Byron for the final transfer spot to the finale.

The Chesterfield, Va., native spoke about his desire to become faster in the short run segments of races. The skill he noted is, ultimately, what took his ability away to win his second race at Homestead in five years and first since 2020.

“I want to be faster on the shorter run. A lot of it is what we built into the car,” said Hamlin. “Crew chief Chris Gabehart gave me everything I needed there to try to race to win. Just didn’t get it done.”

For the most part on Sunday, Hamlin’s No. 11 team were clicking on all cylinders. He rolled off the starting grid fourth and gained 14 stage points, with a victory in stage two. L

But like many of the races throughout the 2024 season, what one does during the race doesn’t necessarily matter when it comes to short sprints or overtime deciding the finishes.

Instead, it’s the task of how can a driver be the best car to win in a small moment, which leads them to a checkered flag.

What has been preached throughout the season and has become cliché in NASCAR is the ability to just move on. Hamlin has to leave everything that has happened in the prior 34 races behind, looking solely to the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

With 20 years of excellence comes experience, and for Hamlin that means five wins at Martinsville, more than 2,000 laps led, and an average finish of 11th, leaving little doubt he could put on another strong third round performance when it matters in order to survive and advance.

He just can’t have another Homestead ending, where he led 24 laps but left with nothing to show for it.

“It's another opportunity,” said Hamlin of the semifinal bout. “Certainly, you’re not out of it until they throw the checkered flag.”

Coverage of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville begins Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.