Denny Hamlin Will get Salty Regardless of 23XI Reaching New Milestone After a “Lackluster” Day at His Dominant Monitor

The 2024 Cup Sequence season is shaping as much as be Denny Hamlin’s closest probability at turning his championship hopes into actuality. With that being stated, the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver hasn’t simply been discovering success as a driver, but additionally as a staff proprietor. 23XI Racing kickstarted the 12 months sturdy, ultimately bringing dwelling their first win of the season at Talladega with Tyler Reddick behind the wheel.

Heading into the Goodyear 400, Reddick was anticipated to make good on his pole place. Which he did for a strong 174 laps. Sadly, as Buescher’s #17 Mustang Darkhorse tussled with Reddick’s #45 for the lead, all hell broke unfastened. Within the aftermath, Reddick’s dominant day at Darlington got here to a moderately ‘lackluster’ finish. A phrase Denny Hamlin used to explain his consequence.

Denny Hamlin sympathizes with Tyler Reddick’s destiny while highlighting flaws within the #11

For Denny Hamlin, Darlington was fairly the other of what he anticipated. After having a automobile able to profitable at virtually each monitor for the reason that season began, the #11 Camry XSE lastly slowed its march. On the finish of the Goodyear 400, Hamlin missed out on the motion between Reddick, Buescher, and Keselowski because the #11 simply couldn’t sustain. Even his fourth-place end was partly gifted to him by Buescher and Reddick’s wreck.

Naturally, the #11 JGR driver felt Darlington was bittersweet. Reflecting on his personal distress, Hamlin shared with FrontStretch, “The entrance finish actually actually harm the potential of the automobile. Positively harm it within the quick and future, however we simply, on that super-long run simply migrated slightly too free and it was only a very lackluster day for us.”

After profitable 4 instances and main in 17 of 23 races on the monitor that’s Too Powerful to Tame, Hamlin felt that the #11 simply couldn’t match Tyler Reddick and the others. Talking of which, Hamlin sympathized with 23XI Racing’s heartbreak. With 174 laps within the lead, no driver deserved to win as a lot as Tyler Reddick, as this was a significant indicator of 23XI Racing stepping up their recreation.

In comparison with Reddick’s earlier 131 laps led, the #45 storage had greater than doubled that statistic in only one race. Hamlin counseled the crew,  “I imply definitely, they dominated the day. It seemed like they actually reaped the advantages. The pit crew did an incredible job of retaining them upfront all day lengthy, and his automobile was clearly very quick as effectively. It’s at all times irritating while you lead loads and you’re feeling like it’s best to win, I’ve accomplished that a few instances this 12 months, that’s simply the way in which it really works”

However on the finish of the day, Denny Hamlin couldn’t assist however replicate on his misplaced alternative on the win. Solely this time round, it wasn’t owing to a different driver’s error. He concluded, “However yeah, simply extra bummed concerning the below-average day that the #11 had.” 

While it’s secure to say Denny Hamlin definitely didn’t have the day he hoped for at Darlington, the #11 ran sturdy sufficient to take care of one main streak.

Hamlin and the #11 profit from Darlington as his lap-leading streak continues

Earlier than heading into Darlington, Denny Hamlin was on a streak that solely probably the most competent drivers might dream of. As he inches nearer to Rusty Wallace’s eleventh spot on the all-time win record with only one victory left, it’s secure to say Hamlin’s type for the previous two seasons definitely makes attaining increased spots a risk. That being stated, Denny Hamlin saved his 16-race lead-lap streak.

That’s proper. Because the Las Vegas spherical of 8 race, Denny Hamlin has put the #11 JGR Camry XSE within the lead for not less than one lap in every race. However with how the Goodyear 400 was unfolding, it seemed like this streak would final for for much longer. However with a single lap within the lead, Hamlin was capable of save the spectacular statistic and maintain it climbing.

Naturally, with how his type has been of late, Hamlin felt he might have gotten the win if the automobile was quicker. Nonetheless, Hamlin realized that not each race ends the identical. He acknowledged, “If that is as dangerous as we will run, you recognize, then I’ll take it. It’s just like the crew chief stated, you’re not going to have the quickest automobile each single week. And we definitely didn’t at present. We didn’t also have a top-five automobile.”

Though Hamlin felt he didn’t have a automobile able to making it into the rostrum locations, the #11 driver gave his props to the pit crew for managing to usher in a top-five. While the #11 did capitalize on others’ shortcomings, the constant factors tally will certainly assist Hamlin in the long term.