Getty Denny Hamlin prepares for practice at Auto Club Speedway.
Denny Hamlin will continue the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season with a trip to Auto Club Speedway. He will use the race to pursue a special and historic win.
The veteran driver has accomplished a lot in his NASCAR career. He has won the Daytona 500 three times, and he has celebrated 67 total wins across the three national series. None of these wins have been at Auto Club Speedway, which is something that Hamlin wants to change before the track gets torn up and reconfigured.
“I’d really like to win this race,” Hamlin said in a release from Joe Gibbs Racing. “It’s really high on my list for this year because it’s a place I haven’t won at in my career and most likely being the last time on this configuration would make it that much more special. Plus, it’s got a great trophy I’d love to add to my collection.”
The trophy in question is one that reflects the Southern California vibes. The backdrop is a surfboard, and there is a sunset behind the palm trees. The centerpiece is a classic Woodie station wagon pulling the winner’s diecast on a trailer.
Hamlin Holds a Unique Record
GettyDenny Hamlin (left) prepares for a race at Auto Club Speedway.
There are multiple drivers that endured long winless streaks at Auto Club Speedway before finally celebrating in Victory Lane. Martin Truex Jr. (17), Kevin Harvick (17), and Tony Stewart (18) all made nearly 20 attempts before they won.
Hamlin currently sits in a unique position. He holds the record among active drivers for the most starts at Auto Club Speedway. He has competed at the track 20 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, and he has won the pole three times. He just hasn’t won a race.
Hamlin’s best finishes at Auto Club Speedway were a pair of third-place finishes. The first was in 2008 as he finished behind Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle. The second was in 2016 as he finished behind Johnson and Harvick.
If Hamlin can snap the winless streak at Auto Club Speedway, he will cement his spot in the record books. He will forever be known as the driver that won the final race on the two-mile configuration.
Winning at Fontana Has Added Significance
GettyJimmie Johnson (right) celebrates a win at Auto Club Speedway.
Capturing the final race at the current version of the Southern California track would be special enough for Hamlin, especially as it would help him achieve another career goal. There is also some unique history tied to the track.
According to stats provided by NASCAR, three drivers have won at Auto Club Speedway and then gone on to win the Cup Series championship. Jeff Gordon, the driver who won the first-ever Cup Series race at the track, did so in 1997. Kyle Busch accomplished this in 2019.
Johnson sits in a category by himself. He leads all drivers with six wins at Auto Club Speedway. Five of these — 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2016 — were in the same season in which he won the championship.
The only exception was in 2002 when Johnson won at Auto Club Speedway and then finished fifth in the season-ending standings. Tony Stewart won the Cup Series championship for Joe Gibbs Racing.