Kevin Harvick circles the NASCAR driver under the most pressure at Bristol

The pressure is on ahead of the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, and Kevin Harvick is singling out a few drivers who will have to rise above to advance to the Round of 12.

Some veterans are below the cut-line, like Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. at the moment. On the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the crew circled one driver in particular under the most pressure, debating whether or not they could get out from under the hole they’ve put themselves in.

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“It’s Denny. It’s not even close,” Mamba Smith stated. “They have had the most pressure since they left Atlanta. Once the strategy went south, and then into this week, and they started the race and got wrecked on lap zero, and now they’re down six.

“It’s not a lot, but the momentum has been going in that direction. They’ve been spiraling, and there’s been no signs of it stopping.”

Evidently, Harvick agrees with Smith, believing Hamlin has put himself behind the eight ball over the last couple of weeks. The former Cup Series champion has been rooting for Hamlin to get his first title all season long, but it’s beginning to feel like it’s out of reach.

“Just pains me. I had so much banking on Denny Hamlin, and here we are,” Harvick added. “… The bad part is I want him to win. I want him to win the championship, and all this just unraveled at the wrong time. Everything in the sport, all the stuff, it just all unraveled at the wrong time. I don’t have the utmost confidence that they can pull out of it, unfortunately, but I think if they are, they’re happy that they’re going to Bristol, because, you know, they could win anywhere, but going to Bristol is like a step up on the confidence bracket.

“So, I don’t know. I think that they definitely have the most pressure put on themselves, and I think a lot of it was somewhat self inflicted.”

As Harvick eluded to, Hamlin is certainly happy to be going to Bristol, as there’s no better track for the No. 11 wheelman for a scenario where they need a solid run. Still, there’s a ton of external factors that could come into play, so nothing is guaranteed this weekend.

The pressure is on for Denny Hamlin, as his tremendous shot at a championship might go up in smoke if he has another poor showing on Saturday. Bristol Motor Speedway is a place he’s tamed over and over again, and he’ll need to do so at least one more time to move on to the Round of 12.