Denny Hamlin reacts to last-lap wreck, playoff concern after disappointing finish at Atlanta

Denny Hamlin explained why he was hanging near the back of the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. While speaking to NBC Sports after being released from the infield care center after a wreck he was involved in during the final lap of the race, Hamlin revealed that his goal for the race was to get 20 points to stay in the hunt for his first Cup Series title.

“I thought there at the very end we actually got the car where it needed to be, but by then you’re kind of dealing with a log-jam type of couple of lanes that are blocking things and you’re really going to go much of anywhere,” Hamlin said. “I just tried to avoid the wrecks and I was trying to get 20 points out of the day. That was my goal was to get 20 however we could. Obviously, starting in the back didn’t help with that. Still, we did the best we could and got in a wreck that cost us eight to 10 spots or so.”

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When it comes to the wreck that involved multiple cars, Hamlin explained that it was “all cars turned sideways in front of us. Tried to avoid wrecks all day and of course got into the last one.”

Hamlin entered the playoffs sixth in the standings. But with the wreck at Atlanta, the 43-year-old has dropped to 11th in the standings, meaning he can’t afford to have another wreck if he wants to advance to the round of 12. But Hamlin is not worried about not performing well at the next two races.

Denny Hamlin wanted to get 20 points at Atlanta

“I mean I did what I wanted to do and that was lay in the back for most of the race and tried to see what attrition came about,” Hamlin stated. “Again, 20 points any way possible but came up a little short of that today. 

At one point during the year, it looked like Hamlin was going to be the favorite to win his first Cup Series championship after winning three races. But with some inconsistent performaces during the last few weeks and a major penalty him and his team received for an engine inspection issue, Hamlin’s hopes of winning a title are in danger heading into Watkins Glen next weekend.