Denny Hamlin may have bigger hardware on his mind over the next 10 weeks, but NASCAR’s top driver through the first 26 races of 2026 finally has a trophy to show for it.
Hamlin finished the regular season atop the NASCAR Cup Series standings, securing the No. 1 seed for the newly revived Chase and a 25-point advantage over Ryan Blaney entering Sunday’s postseason opener at Darlington Raceway.
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There was just one unusual detail.
With NASCAR returning to a 10-race Chase format this season, the sanctioning body moved away from the official “regular-season champion” designation and trophy that had accompanied the previous playoff system.
Hamlin still got one anyway.
Dirty Mo Media shared photos Wednesday of Hamlin holding a trophy labeled “Denny Hamlin — 2026 NASCAR Regular Season Champion.” Sitting on top was a small goat.
The caption made sure nobody missed the joke.
“Denny got his trophy.
😂
🐐
“Regular Season Champ.
“And, the GOAT.”
It’s a playful way to recognize what was, by virtually any measure, an outstanding regular season from the 45-year-old.
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And if Hamlin can maintain that level for another 10 races, the next trophy won’t be a joke.
Denny Hamlin Earned the No. 1 Seed the Hard Way
Hamlin didn’t reach the top of the standings through one dominant stretch or a handful of fortunate finishes.
He built one of the most complete regular seasons in the Cup Series.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver won four races, at Las Vegas, Nashville, Michigan and Pocono, while collecting 14 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s. He also led a series-high 880 laps.
Perhaps just as importantly, Hamlin avoided the disastrous afternoons that can destroy a points campaign. He made it through all 26 regular-season races without a DNF.
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The reward is substantial under NASCAR’s new championship structure.
Hamlin begins The Chase with 2,100 points, 25 ahead of second-seeded Blaney and 35 ahead of third-seeded Tyler Reddick. Unlike the previous playoff system, there will be no elimination rounds and no four-driver, winner-take-all championship finale.
The driver with the most points after 10 races wins the Cup Series title.
For Hamlin, that means the consistency that put him atop the standings through 26 races suddenly matters more than ever.
Hamlin Now Has 10 Races to Turn His Regular-Season Title Into Something Bigger
Hamlin made that point himself Wednesday when discussing the format.
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“You give me more of a sample size, and we’re going to prove that we’re the best over a long period of time,” Hamlin said. “I think that that’s what our fans need to focus on is that just this is a marathon, not a sprint.”
It’s a fitting perspective from the driver who just won NASCAR’s first marathon of 2026.
Hamlin’s regular-season performance established him as the No. 1 seed. Now comes the part that has followed him throughout his career.
The Cup Series championship.
At 45, Hamlin owns 60-plus Cup victories and has built a résumé that already places him among NASCAR’s most accomplished drivers. The glaring omission remains the championship he has repeatedly come close to winning.
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The new format gives him an advantage before the green flag even falls at Darlington.
It doesn’t give him the title.
But before NASCAR’s championship fight begins Sunday, Hamlin can at least enjoy the hardware he earned over the first 26 races.
Goat and all.
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