Why is Denny Hamlin’s Martinsville record impossible to break until 2026? Exploring the JGR driver’s short-track supremacy

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin's record is unbreakable until the 2026 season because he is the only active full-time NASCAR NextGen driver with five wins at the Martinsville track. The driver closest to him is Martin Truex Jr. with three wins and he is set to retire in 2024 and next in line is Brad Keselowski with two wins. Hence, the 43-year-old's record is secure till at least 2026.

Hamlin began racing on the short track almost two decades ago in 2005 and secured his first win in 2008. He then bagged three wins in a row from 2009 to 2010. His last win was in 2015, and he made an astonishing recovery starting from P15 and finishing in first place.

On the other hand, Joe Gibbs Racing driver and Denny Hamlin's teammate Martin Truex Jr. started racing on the track a year later than his teammate in 2006. Junior secured his first win on the track in 2019, followed by victory in 2020, and then in 2021 racing with the #19 Chevy Camaro. Both drivers have yet to secure a win in the modern era of racing.

Additionally, the record would be unbreakable till 2026 as Martin Truex Jr. aims to retire from the sport by the end of the 2024 season. Even if Junior wins the races in 2025, he would be a part-time driver, not an active driver. The next driver in line is Brad Keselowski with two wins. Even if he wins three back-to-back races, he would only be able to equal it to Denny Hamlin's five wins, and it won't happen before 2026.

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A look at the top contenders for the NASCAR Championship of four, including Denny Hamlin

The Martinsville Speedway race is the last race to secure a spot in the Championship 4 round at the Phoneix Raceway. Six drivers will be fighting for their spot in the next round. After the Homestead-Miami race, 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick joined Joey Logano on the list of drivers to qualify for the next round.

Denny Hamlin's teammate Christopher Bell is in third place in the standings and has a buffer of 29 points above the cut line, making a solid case for him to advance to the next round. Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron is in fourth place with just seven points above the cutline.

Drivers on the bubble are in a must-win situation, including Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott. Larson is in fifth place, requiring 15 points to surpass Byron and secure the spot. Next is Denny Hamlin in sixth place with 18 points below the cutline and requires 26 points to advance or win the race. Hamlin makes a strong case reflecting on his five wins on the track. However, since 2015 he has had only three top-five finishes.

Ryan Blaney is in seventh place and 38 points below the cutline. Chase Elliott is in the last spot with 43 points, requiring 51 points to lock his seat for the final round of the season.