A title needs a miracle: Denny Hamlin's Chase hopes are remote, ready for season to end
A remote title possibility
Three races remained when Hamlin spoke at Talladega Superspeedway, and he needed strong results along with help from other drivers to claim the championship. He now arrives at the finale in third place in the standings. His sixth-place finish at Martinsville left him needing an unlikely turn of events at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hamlin said on USA Sports, “We just didn’t gain enough to make it realistic.”
Shoulder injury remains a concern
Hamlin, 46, turns 47 in a couple of weeks. During the 2025-26 offseason, he injured his right rotator cuff again while going through the rubble of his parents’ home; he had surgery on the shoulder after the 2023 season.
He said surgery is not scheduled and that he plans to get a scan after the season to assess the injury. Hamlin said he intends to continue racing and decide what to do later.
Martinsville brought a brief lift
Hamlin won the pole at Martinsville on Saturday, then finished sixth in Sunday’s race. He believed his car was capable of winning, making the result especially frustrating. He said a strong moment can lift him for a day before the racing grind weighs on him again. Hamlin described the past five or six weeks as difficult and said he had felt “done with all of this.”
Key points
- Hamlin is third in the standings before the Homestead-Miami season finale.
- He said winning the championship is not realistic without substantial help.
- A recurring right shoulder injury may require surgery, but no procedure is scheduled.
- Hamlin won the Martinsville pole but finished sixth in the race.