“He’s an exceptional talent”: Denny Hamlin delivers a bold verdict on a ‘playoff threat’ NASCAR rookie

Denny Hamlin has made a bold claim about NASCAR Cup Series rookie Shane van Gisbergen. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver agreed with his podcast Actions Detrimental’s co-host that the New Zealander would be a playoff threat. He added that SVG just needs to improve his Oval racing.

The 35-year-old sent shockwaves in the NASCAR community by winning his debut Cup Series race - the 2023 Grant Park 220 at the Chicago Street Circuit. SVG was promoted to a full-time Xfinity Series seat for Kaulig Racing the past season. He didn’t disappoint the organization, claiming three wins, seven top-5s, and ten top-10s to finish 12th in his rookie NXS season.

Moreover, Van Gisbergen shined bright in his first Cup Series race as a full-time driver at Bowman Gray Stadium. The Trackhouse Racing driver showcased a consistent performance, largely keeping his #88 Chevy within the top 15 and producing a ninth-place finish in the 200-lap preseason race.

Thus, Denny Hamlin heaped solid praise on the NASCAR rookie, outlining his “phenomenal” Clash race.

“I think he did a phenomenal job at The Clash…because he ran in the top 10-12 all day. Got a great finish, he ran really well. He is an exceptional talent that will adapt,” Denny Hamlin said.

The JGR driver predicted that SVG would finish between P23 and P28 on the ovals at the beginning of the season. He furthered that the Trackhouse Racing driver could jump to a P18-P22 finish as the season would inch closer to its conclusion.

As a result, Hamlin’s co-host highlighted that if SVG continues the upward trend, he would be a playoff threat the next season.

“If you finish this year running 18th to 22nd and you make a bit of progress next year, all of a sudden, you’re a legitimate playoff threat.”

Hamlin claimed that the #88 Chevy driver was already a threat.

“He already is,” the 54-time Cup Series race winner said

SVG bested his teammate, Daniel Suarez, who finished 22nd at The Clash, being two laps down.

Denny Hamlin predicts who could win the 2025 Daytona 500

Denny Hamlin has predicted Austin Cindric as his favorite driver to win the season-opener crown jewel race. The Team Penske driver bagged his first Daytona 500 victory in 2022, and Hamlin is affirmative about the #2 Ford driver’s second win at the 2.5-mile oval.

It’s worth mentioning that Hamlin, who has three Daytona 500 wins, three Southern 500 victories, the 2022 Coca-Cola 600 triumph, four Busch Light Clash wins, and more, didn’t put his name forward as a potential winner of the 500-mile event.

“Austin Cindric gets his second Daytona 500…NextGen is a game of chance on superspeedways more than any other professional sport in history…if you look at the drivers that find ways to be upfront, I think, to me, Cindric would be the one that stands out,” Denny Hamlin said.

Cindric made the playoffs for the second time in his Cup Series career the past season, which began in 2021. Moreover, the #2 Ford driver claimed his career-best standing of P11, courtesy of his World Wide Technology win and four top-5s.