Denny Hamlin came agonizingly close to clinch the Shriners Children’s 500 but fell just short in a dramatic photo finish. The veteran driver had worked his way through the field, battling hard with teammate Christopher Bell in the closing laps. It all came down to an overtime finish, where Bell had the advantage but, Hamlin was right beside him on the high lane.
The No. 20 did take the white flag but Hamlin was right on his bumper. Frankly, he could’ve used it to snap his 28-race winless streak. It was hard racing if anything and as they came off turn 4 on the final lap, it was Bell who edged out his veteran teammate. This was a monumental occasion for Bell and his team, a three-peat in the Next Gen era and the first one to do so. Although the #20 camp was in elation, Hamlin on the other hand couldn’t handle the taste of defeat.
The frustration was evident in Hamlin’s voice. As soon as he crossed the finish line, he vented his frustration on team radio. “God dammit! F—!” he shouted. His team tried to console him. “Hey bud, good try man,” they said. Despite finishing second, Hamlin showed his composure as he praised his #11 Toyota team. However, just a few hours after the race, the veteran driver delivered a bold verdict on Christopher Bell’s future in the Cup series. While he acknowledged the talent and racecraft that Bell possessed, Hamlin believes luck played a major role in Bell’s fairytale end last Sunday.
Is Denny Hamlin unable to digest his Phoenix loss?
Christopher Bell’s start to the 2025 season has been nothing short of a spectacle. With three wins in the first four races, he has cemented himself as an early championship favorite. However, Denny Hamlin isn’t entirely convinced that Bell’s run of form will continue. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, the JGR veteran downplayed Bell’s dominance, attributing a large portion of it to luck.
“There are times when you feel like you’ve dominated week after week, and you just don’t get a win. I feel like this is the opposite of that. Atlanta wasn’t dominating, and COTA wasn’t, but things just worked out right. Cautions fell at the right time. Even Christopher Bell said that… But it’s a weird business because, you know, the fastest car or fastest driver only wins like 30-some percent of the time. So, it would be defying odds even if he were to dominate the next couple of weeks, which he could,” Hamlin admitted.
Notably, Hamlin’s assessment of Bell’s streak isn’t baseless. NASCAR history has shown that drivers can go on dominant runs, only to struggle shortly after. A prime example is Kyle Larson’s 2021 season, where he won 10 races and the Cup Series title. He seemed unstoppable that year. However, in 2022 and 2023, his performance dropped significantly. Similarly, last season, Larson bounced back with six wins and looked like a championship favorite. But the playoffs did not go his way.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA South Point 400-Cup Practice & Qualifying Oct 19, 2024 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson 5 during qualifying for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Las Vegas Las Vegas Motor Speedway Nevada USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20241019_gav_sv5_034
He had a poor run in the final few races, which pushed him out of title contention. Despite being the most dominant driver throughout the year, he failed to capture his second championship. Bell himself experienced the unpredictable nature of the sport in 2024. He had worked his way into the Championship 4 and was poised to battle for the title. However, a penalty from Martinsville Speedway changed everything. He was stripped of his Championship 4 place, which sent William Byron into the title race.
“I feel cheated out of the chance to compete for a championship, and it all started whenever the race got fixed and manipulated by Chevrolet,” Bell said at Phoenix last year. The frustration only established that sometimes you need luck to favor your dream run. Denny Hamlin also admitted the same and said that Bell is currently riding high on his luck. “Match good luck with good skill, fast cars, good execution—you’re probably going to have a lot of wins. And that’s what he’s doing right now,” he said.
While Hamlin downplayed his teammate’s winning run, it is hard to ignore that Bell has been competitive. In Atlanta, he was looming around leaders until taking the lead on the final lap before the yellow flag ended the race. Similarly, in COTA, he kept himself in contention by being close to Kyle Busch. Just 10 laps before the checkered flag, he not only clinched the lead but fought hard against William Byron to win the race. And finally, in Phoenix, he had some other plans. After stage 1, he charged ahead, took the lead, and once again out-dueled the likes of Hamlin and Larson to snag a win.
While Hamlin remains skeptical about Bell’s ability to sustain his success, he has been quietly improving himself. He has adapted well despite a change in crew chief, showing steady improvement in every race. In Daytona, he started with topping the first practice of the season. However, his race ended in disappointing 24th place. But since then, he has been on a dominant run. He bounced back with a sixth-place run in Atlanta and nearly won in Phoenix. But his recent comments about Bell seem to be a part of his frustrating near-misses.
Christopher Bell rides high after three straight wins!
Bell is the hottest driver in NASCAR right now. His win at Phoenix made him the 18th driver in history to win three consecutive Cup Series races. He also became the first driver to pull off such a streak in the Next Gen era. The Oklahoma native has shown remarkable versatility, winning on different types of tracks. Reflecting on his success, Bell admitted that NASCAR comes with ups and downs.
“Everybody is grinning ear to ear and just trying to ride the wave. I’ve raced long enough, not in the Cup Series but throughout my life, that I know it comes in waves. We’re on that side of it now,” he said after the race. Notably, Bell’s performance has made him an early favorite to win the elusive title. The upcoming two races are also on tracks that have suited him in the past. In the last three races, he has two top 3 finishes in Las Vegas. Similarly, in Homestead Miami, he has been in contention.
While Bell enjoys his dominant start, JGR is now shifting focus to its other drivers. Veteran driver Denny Hamlin is almost there for a win, but the other two drivers are still a headache for Joe Gibbs. Chase Briscoe, who took the pole at the Daytona 500, failed to put up a show after that. Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs’ grandson Ty Gibbs is even struggling to finish in the Top 20. He had multiple wrecks in the first four races, which just added to his 2024 winless streak.
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