Denny Hamlin reveals how NASCAR In-Season Challenge will influence his racing strategy
Denny Hamlin is one of the winningest drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history, but he doesn't have a championship on his Hall of Fame resume. While every point is valuable during the regular season, it appears the NASCAR In-Season Challenge will have some influence on how he races.
On Monday's episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin stated that drivers will very much care about the NASCAR In-Season Challenge once it starts on June 28 in Atlanta. He highlighted that motivation, sharing how matchups will influence his strategy on road courses.
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Related: Denny Hamlin guarantees Ricky Stenhouse gets revenge on Carson Hocevar
'If we go to a road course, suddenly, I'm telling you. I'm gonna tell Gayle, 'beat that guy'. I just want to beat that guy. Where we think, 'Oh well, maybe we'll stay out and get 3 stage points here.' Hell no. I want to do whatever I have to do to beat that guy. So, we're gonna care.'
Denny Hamlin stats (NASCAR.com): 443 points, 2 wins, 7 top 10s, 6 top 5s, 2 DNFs, 450 laps led, 12.357 average starting position, 14.357 average finishing position
Related: Insider reveals Denny Hamlin's future with Joe Gibbs Racing
As described by NASCAR.com, the field for the In-Season Challenge is comprised of 32 drivers in a single-elimination format over five races. While the field of 32 (top 32 points leaders) was set following the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville, the seedings will be determined by the next three races – Michigan International Speedway, Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez and Pocono Raceway – with drivers seeded by how they finish in those three races.
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Ahead of the Cracker Barrel 400, the majority of Cup Series drivers didn't express a ton of enthusiasm for the in-season tournament. However, Hamlin expects that to change ahead of the first race on June 28, entirely because the winner of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge gets $1 million.
Related: Denny Hamlin credits Kyle Busch for huge development in his career
The tournament matchups will also add more excitement for fans during races. While the focus would normally center on the battle for first, the head-to-head matchups created by the tournament mean that two drivers battling in the middle of the field will be competing to advance to the next round.
In Hamlin's case, his approach would mean sacrificing stage points on a road course to ensure he snags a better finishing position than the driver he is seeded against in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Whoever advances, the $1 million winner will be determined on July 27 in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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