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Denny Hamlin opens up about expectation to win 2023 NASCAR Championship

Stephen Samraby:Steve Samra09/29/23

SamraSource

Denny Hamlin
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Denny Hamlin believes 2023 will finally be the year he breaks through to the other side, and becomes a NASCAR champion.

It’s easier said than done, and Hamlin recognizes that. However, he’s consistently been the best car on the track throughout the season, and he may never have a better shot than he does this time around to finally get the job done.

Speaking with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Hamlin explained how much he’s putting into each week at the moment, and why it would sting more than past years if he’s not able to seal the deal in 2023.

“I don’t know. I would say probably,” Hamlin responded, asked if not winning the championship this season would hurt more than ever. “This is certainly a really great opportunity. There’s been other great opportunities, but I feel like there’s always been four to five guys that have been super strong.

“Sometimes they get your number — one gets your number on this week, the other one gets your number that week, and you’re always just kind of next best. But I just feel like when we’re at our peak, we’re as good if not better than everyone.”

While Hamlin believes he’s at the top of the game at the moment, he believes there’s at least two other drivers that can contend with him, and ruin his dream of a title.

“The 5 car [of Kyle Larson] has also shown that. The 19 [of Martin Truex Jr.] can do it at any moment — when he dominates, it’s game over. But there’s not like five or six of them,” explained Hamlin. “There’s a really small group and so you just have to make sure you execute. And to answer your question, would it hurt more? Yeah, probably. But, again, I’m still winning races. And that’s what I want to keep doing is making Final Fours, winning races — that just is going to be the big end goal for me.

“If we win a championship this year, I’m just going to try to win another one next year. Like it’s not a finality. There’s no, ‘Well, I accomplished it all.’ There’s just more to it than that one race at the end of the season.”

Denny Hamlin makes a great point, as Larson, Truex and himself have truly shown they’re the top tier at the moment throughout the season.

However, with NASCAR’s championship format, it only takes one bad race to have your season go up in smoke. It’ll be fascinating to see if Hamlin can ride it out, and end up on top.