NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, on the Motion Detrimental podcast, known as out Hendrick Motorsports’ dismal season, commenting on the group’s stoop. He mirrored on HMS’ 2026 outcome and expressed how stunning it was for a prestigious group to not have a single driver within the High 5 of the championship.
Hendrick Motorsports has solely had a few wins this season with Chase Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet. Kyle Larson has had the tempo and run contained in the High 5, solely to have been concerned in a crash, being on the finish of an unforced error, or on the destructive aspect of luck.
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Commenting on Hendrick Motorsports’ 2026 stoop, Denny Hamlin mentioned,
“I checked out [Hendrick’s] graphic after the race. Stewart-Haas, they have been getting beat like a drum of their feedback the final 12 months of their existence. The outdated Hendrick bros, they’re beginning to get in there.”
“They should have a Snickers. They’ve not been [themselves] shortly. It is not likely indicative of their pace. They’ve all the time obtained a pair vehicles which are within the high 5 or close to the highest 5. However simply the usual [that] we anticipate from Hendrick Motorsports from the legacy, we anticipate a number of race wins. After I see William Byron in twelfth, that is mind-boggling to me,” Hamlin added.
Chase Elliott is the very best HMS driver within the standings, sitting P6 with a few wins to his identify. Larson sits P8 and William Byron in P12. Alex Bowman missed a number of races this season as a result of vertigo and is barely P29 within the standings.
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Though Byron, Larson and Elliott are prone to make the Chase, with the brand new format favoring constant outcomes, the championship looks like a distant dream.
Denny Hamlin suggests Kyle Larson tire blowout at Indianapolis not a luck issue
Jul 5, 2026; Joliet, Illinois, USA; NASCAR Cup Sequence driver Denny Hamlin (11) shakes arms with followers earlier than the eero 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Obligatory Credit score: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Photos
Final 12 months’s champion Kyle Larson hasn’t received a race since Could 2025. The No. 5 Chevrolet driver showcased the tempo to combat for the win at Sunday’s Cup Sequence race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, solely to have a tire blowout that pressured him to retire.
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Denny Hamlin got here out and mentioned the blowout wasn’t unhealthy luck however the results of a group choice. He mentioned,
“Often you blow a left rear, that is not luck, people. You possibly can’t name issues luck that somebody has a job in. That was doubtless too low of air strain. Or ran it too onerous on the air, or the load on the left rear was an excessive amount of. However they discovered their restrict.”
In three of the final 4 races, Larson has completed exterior the High 30.
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