Denny Hamlin won in Dover last Sunday and became the 12th most winning driver in Cup Series history with 54 career victories. Soon, he could be moving a step higher. The upcoming race is in the Kansas Speedway, one of Hamlin’s best tracks. He has won the intermediate four times. In addition to having the most wins he also has the highest number of top-5 finishes (13).
Since October 2021, Hamlin has finished every race in Kansas inside the top-5. This streak includes three straight results of runner-up or better. Notably, three of the four victories that he has collected on the track came after his 2019 partnership with crew chief Chris Gabehart. His expertise isn’t limited to the wheel. As a co-owner of 23XI Racing, he has won three of the last four races in Kansas.
Before winning in Dover, Hamlin confidently called out that he would end up victorious. He isn’t willing to gamble this time. He told the press, “I’m not going to call my shot like I did last time, but I do feel good about Kansas. We have had a lot of success there over the years especially since I have worked with Chris and the Next Gen car. We definitely go with high expectations because we know what we are capable of.”
Denny Hamlin’s dominance in the 2024 Cup Series season
When the 2023 season ended and Hamlin was left licking his injuries, the biggest question that loomed above him was if he had what it took to attempt a championship campaign once again. Now, 11 races into the ongoing season, he has answered that pretty clearly. He has been the only driver to lead a lap in every single race thus far and helms the line with 3 victories already.
The 535 laps that he has led this season are the second most. His streak of leading in 15 consecutive races is a personal best for him. Taking a look at NASCAR’s Loop Data showcases the impact that Hamlin has had this season. He has the best average running position, the fastest laps, quickest restarts, and so on.
The upcoming race will be a special one for him. Kansas is where he made his debut back in 2005. He started the race in 7th place and finished 32nd. Fast forward 20 years later, he is without a question the favorite to win. Finding the victory lane on Sunday will put him alongside Rusty Wallace in the all-time wins list with 55 Cup Series victories.
