Denny Hamlin is not alarmed by his current points situation in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase yet. However, the key word is “yet” as the driver of the No. 11 admits he can “see” the panic button.
Despite that, the Joe Gibbs Racing star is not hitting the panic button yet.
With four races remaining in the 2026 Chase, Hamlin ranks second in the points standings and trails championship leader Kyle Larson by 49 points. Hamlin surrendered the points lead to Larson after the third race of the Chase at Bristol.
Since then, Larson has continued to widen the gap between himself and Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin on Hitting The Panic Button: ‘I Can See It’
Hamlin spoke to reporters prior to Saturday’s Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions at Phoenix. The 45-year-old out of Chesterfield, Virginia was quoted by motorsports writer Jeff Gluck saying that he has not hit the “panic button.”
However, that proverbial button is in Hamlin’s sights.
“Denny Hamlin: ‘I have not hit the panic button at all. I can see it. But I’m not quite there yet,'” Gluck wrote via X.
There is reason to be worried if you are a Denny Hamlin fan with four races remaining in the Chase. Hamlin had a dominant run through the second half of the regular season as he clinched the top seed in the Chase one race early.
With four wins, including three straight through the month of June (Nashville, Michigan, Pocono), Hamlin entered the Chase with momentum on his side.
However, the first six races of the Chase did not quite play in the veteran driver’s favor.
Hamlin finished 18th in the Chase opener at Darlington. He went on to post a ninth-place run at World Wide Technology Raceway and an eighth-place run at Bristol, with the latter race being the one he lost the points lead to Larson in.
Hamlin notched a third-place result at Kansas, a 16th-place result at Las Vegas, and a fifth-place finish at Charlotte. While his Chase finishes have not been horrible, it has not been the standout performance one might expect from Hamlin.
Denny Hamlin Seeking First Cup Series Championship
Through 21 seasons of full-time NASCAR competition, Denny Hamlin has accomplished just about everything possible. Hamlin has 64 career Cup victories, which ranks ninth on the all-time wins list, and is one of only six drivers to win three Daytona 500s, NASCAR’s most prestigious race.
Yet, there is one thing that has eluded Hamlin throughout his storied NASCAR career.
A championship.
Last year, Hamlin was leading the championship race at Phoenix with three laps to go. However, a caution followed by differing pit strategies shuffled the No. 11 driver back to 10th position for the final restart.
In heart-breaking fashion, Hamlin lost the championship battle to Kyle Larson.
With four races to go (Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville, Homestead), Hamlin aims to reel in the driver who took the championship from him last year. It would be a storybook moment for one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers who has yet to claim the sport’s most prolific prize.
Denny Hamlin Not Hitting The Panic Button On Title Hopes Yet