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Kevin Harvick criticized Denny Hamlin's disappointing start to the 2024 NASCAR playoffs after the race at Watkins Glen. The #11 driver is currently six points short of qualifying for the next round.
Hamlin remained competitive for most part of the season, however, his entry into the playoffs has been a little out of place. He finished Atlanta in P24 and Watkins Glen didn't give him an opportunity either. He started the road course in 22nd place, and an early crash damaged his car. He finished the race in P23.
This string of disappointing performances has put him outside of the top 12. If he does not manage to perform well at Bristol in the upcoming race, he will be disqualified from the playoffs, losing another opportunity to win the Cup Series championship.
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Former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick claimed that Bristol Motor Speedway could prove to be a happy ground for Denny Hamlin as he performs well there.
"Going to Bristol, obviously, Denny Hamlin is very good there," he said (at 0:23) on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast. "Bristol is going to be interesting. If you're Hamlin, you can point your way in, but I think it'd be a lot easier if you won your way in."
"When you look back at just the driver strategy to go out and at Atlanta and just try to race for 20 points, and then everything that's happened, all the drama, it just derailed the 11 car off the tracks. I think they can go to Bristol and put it back on the track, and they can go there and win. But man, what a dismal way to start."
Denny Hamlin's crew chief slams "terrible" car after tough result at Watkins Glen
The Go Bowling! at the Glen was filled with incidents for the #11 Toyota. Denny Hamlin was involved in the opening-lap wreck that collected multiple cars, including Corey LaJoie and Kyle Busch.
With visible damage on his car, Hamlin pitted for damages. Later on Lap 24, he had to pit again to work on more damage to the car. The rest of the race did not go smoothly for him. A three-way battle between himself, Kyle Larson, and Brad Keselowski ended with Hamlin going into the wall.
After finishing the race in 23rd place, his crew chief Chris Gabehart slammed the damaged and poorly performing #11 Toyota. He said to him on the radio (post-race):
"Great effort, everybody. I don't care if we make it or not. That is a championship effort to figure out how to run 23rd with that piece of sh*t. I hope you guys get to go through because you all deserve it and I cannot wait to get to my favorite race track (Bristol). Great job, really proud of you, man, this thing was f**king terrible. Somehow made to work," Gabehart said.
Hamlin is currently six points short of qualifying for Round 2 of the playoffs heading into Bristol. If his series of disappointing performances continue there, he would be out of contention to win the championship.
