At 45, Denny Hamlin remains to be racing like a championship favourite. After narrowly lacking out on the 2025 Cup Collection title, he stays within the hunt for glory, presently sitting second within the 2026 standings. However even the very best ultimately attain the top of the highway, and studies have linked Hamlin to a attainable retirement as soon as this season ends. Insiders are already floating attainable replacements, and one younger star specifically has all of the sudden come beneath the microscope.
Hamlin is presently contracted with Joe Gibbs Racing by way of 2027, however it’s the deal on a year-by-year foundation. So, if he does ultimately step away from the storage, Brent Crews is being touted because the successor.
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“I imply, and , pay attention, like I believe if I instructed individuals in January Brent Crews goes to be the man that replaces Denny Hamlin, they’d have all laughed at me,” Freedie Kraft in Door Bumper Clear’s . “And now they’re taking a look at and going, ‘Oh, like that’s going to occur.’ You understand, like I believe that may be if Denny sticks to that timeline…but when he does get out of the automotive after subsequent 12 months, I believe Brent Crews.”
The 18-year-old’s inexperience shouldn’t deter JGR. Simply have a look at Connor Zilisch and the way rapidly he established himself as certainly one of NASCAR’s brightest younger stars. At simply 18, he received 10 races throughout his rookie O’Reilly Collection marketing campaign final season, and now he’s already behind the wheel of a Cup automotive for Trackhouse Racing. He hasn’t received any races but, however has proven promising outcomes, together with a 14th-place end on the Circuit of the Americas.
And whereas Crews hasn’t lined up his résumé with these many wins within the O’Reilly Collection but, the JGR growth Driver has quietly turn out to be certainly one of its most constant racers. He prolonged his streak to 5 straight top-five finishes not too long ago and added one other milestone at Watkins Glen final weekend after profitable Stage 1 of the Mission 200, making him the youngest stage winner within the sequence historical past.
Throughout 9 races this 12 months, the 18-year-old has already collected for high 5 and 7 top-10 finishes whereas sitting eleventh within the standings.
BRISTOL, TN – APRIL 11: Brent Crews, 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Mobil 1 Toyota seems to be on throughout apply for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA O Reilly Auto Components Collection Suburban Propane 300 on April 11, 2026 at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN. Picture by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 11 NASCAR OReilly Auto Components Collection Suburban Propane 300 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260411689300
Whether or not Crews will get his huge break early relies upon fully on what Hamlin decides about his future. There could also be studies suggesting he’s nearing the top of his profession, however Hamlin just isn’t able to shut the door simply but.
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“I’ve given Gibbs sufficient of a heads up that they’re engaged on the plans for past, so so long as these go as deliberate, I nonetheless assume the top of ’27 is it,” Hamlin instructed reporter Matt Weaver two months in the past. “I don’t wish to go my final 12 months, half a 12 months, simply eager to get out. If I can have a last 12 months that begins like this, I’m good.”
However even then, the veteran adopted it up with a telling reminder: “You by no means know.” Perhaps that long-awaited championship remains to be protecting Hamlin within the battle a little bit longer.
Can Denny Hamlin lastly seal the deal in 2026?
For all 61 Cup Collection wins, together with 4 Daytona 500 trophies and numerous playoff appearances, one factor nonetheless hangs over Hamlin’s profession: the Cup Collection championship. Hamlin has reached NASCAR’s postseason 18 occasions since 2006, but the title has continued to slide from his grasp.
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In 2010, what many nonetheless contemplate the very best season of Hamlin’s profession, he received eight races and entered the Phoenix finale with a 15-point lead over Jimmie Johnson, who was chasing him within the standings. However steadiness points together with his automotive severely affected each tempo and dealing with that day, leaving Hamlin to complete twelfth whereas Johnson took the victory.
After the Championship 4 playoff format was launched 4 years later, Hamlin reached the ultimate spherical 5 occasions, with 2025 lastly wanting like his 12 months. However within the finale, crew chief Chris Gayle . He referred to as Hamlin in for 4 tires, permitting Kyle Larson, who took solely two, to get forward, take management of the race, and seal the championship in his favor. For Hamlin, the drought continued.
That’s precisely why each sturdy Hamlin season all of the sudden feels larger than simply one other playoff run. And up to now, 2026 is shaping as much as be a kind of seasons.
In 12 races, Hamlin has already collected one pole place, seven high 10 finishes, 5 high fives, and a victory in Las Vegas. He has appeared constantly quick throughout a number of monitor varieties, reasonably than counting on one-off performances.
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The No.11 driver has firmly planted himself contained in the playoff image with 438 factors already on the board. For longtime followers who’ve watched title runs collapse earlier than, .
The most important problem, although, might not even be Hamlin himself. It’s the monster season is placing collectively at 23XI Racing, the staff Hamlin co-owns with Michael Jordan. Reddick presently sits 129 factors forward of him in #1.
But when there’s one driver skilled sufficient to outlive a protracted championship battle, it’s Hamlin. At 45, he understands the postseason grind higher than virtually anybody left on the grid, and maybe the urgency of understanding the clock is ticking on his profession may lastly push him over the road this time round.
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