Kevin Harvick predicts Denny Hamlin rise as noise gets 'quieter and quieter'

Denny Hamlin is quietly putting together a very quality season, though he doesn’t yet have a win to show for it. But that could be coming.

Soon, if Kevin Harvick is any indication. The veteran driver turned broadcaster believes Hamlin is as good a pick as any to win at Martinsville this weekend.

“King of Martinsville, you know that that’s Denny Hamlin,” Harvick said on the Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast. “It seems that they’ve kind of found their groove, steady and consistent, leading some laps, won a stage just last weekend, got a sponsor on the side of the car. All that noise, it just keeps getting quieter and quieter for Denny Hamlin because he just keeps putting himself in a position to perform well.”

Hamlin has already secured three top-10 finishes in six appearances this year, with his worst finish a 25th-place result at Las Vegas. But he’s owned Martinsville, historically.

Hamlin has five wins at Martinsville, a track record. He’s also got a slew of top-fives. The last win there, though, came back in 2015.

Can Denny Hamlin get it going again there this weekend? Harvick believes the ability of Hamlin to tune out the noise is what might make the difference.

“That’s what he’s been able to do throughout the year,” Harvick said. “So this could be a big Denny Hamlin weekend.”

Denny Hamlin is also coming off a very positive result at Homestead. He finished fifth but had chances at the win, if not for a self-admitted mistake.

When the race was all said and done, Denny Hamlin earned a P5 finish, his third top-10 finish in six races this season. At this point of the 2024 season, Hamlin had two top-10 finishes but had a win, which was at Bristol.

Hamlin is looking for his first Cup Series victory since April of last year but is in a good position when it comes to the standings. The 44-year-old is eighth in Cup points and would qualify for the playoffs if they began today.