Is Denny Hamlin Really the Driver to Beat For the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Title?

Denny Hamlin could hardly have asked for a better way to enter NASCAR’s new Chase.

Hamlin enters the 2026 Chase as the No.1 seed after one of the strongest regular seasons of his career. He finished with 4 wins, 14 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s, while remaining the only Chase driver without a DNF through the first 26 races.

His seventh-place finish at New Hampshire officially locked up the top seed.

That gives Hamlin 2,100 points heading into the Chase, 25 ahead of Ryan Blaney at 2,075. NASCAR’s new format rewards the regular-season champion, but that advantage is smaller than it sounds.

A single win is worth 55 points.

So Hamlin’s…

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