Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes Denny Hamlin prediction for 2025 NASCAR season

Denny Hamlin is entering a pivotal season in 2025 with this weekend’s Daytona 500, and he has the full attention of Dale Earnhardt Jr. right now.

With the start of the NASCAR Cup Series season upon us, Earnhardt Jr. is forecasting how 2025 will turnout for a number of the top wheelmen in the NASCAR Cup Series, including Hamlin. He has a new crew chief and a fresh sponsor this season, but the Hall of Fame inductee believes the No. 11 team will be looking to prove they’re still the same, competitive bunch.

“You got Denny trying to get back to the championship, with a new crew chief there,” Earnhardt Jr. prefaced regarding Hamlin, via the latest episode of The Dale Jr. Download. “They come out of the box competitive at The Clash. I think that there is a motivation around Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny’s car to prove that they’re not going to fall off.

“… I believe that Joe Gibbs Racing, that organization and the moves that they’ve made — they are going to make sure that there’s not a door open, or an opportunity for people to criticize the change. They’re going to make sure that Denny goes to the racetrack and that he’s competitive.”

While Hamlin won three races and accumulated 13 top five finishes in 2024, his performance tapered off throughout the year. Some have attributed it to the ongoing lawsuit involving his 23XI race team, a myriad of injuries he’s been dealing with, points penalties, or just his age catching up to him, but Hamlin isn’t making any excuses.

At 44 years old, he’s just as motivated as he’s ever been to capture his first Cup Series title. He’s come close in the past, and he’s been among the favorites year in and year out over the last decade, but Hamlin hasn’t been able to break through his glass ceiling yet and lift NASCAR’s ultimate trophy.

Still, he’s a three-time winner of the Daytona 500, and some drivers would trade one of their championships for a Harley J. Earl Trophy, so there’s that. If Hamlin wins The Great American Race again this weekend, it’ll signal to the rest of the field that he’s just as fired up for 2025 as he’s ever been for racing, and he’s ready to compete for a title this season.

Time will tell if Denny Hamlin can prove Dale Earnhardt Jr. right in his prediction for the Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman. With the way last season ended for the No. 11 team, he’ll certainly be motivated to change the narrative in 2025, and return to glory as soon as possible.