Denny Hamlin secured the top seed in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs after a seventh‑place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. His Joe Gibbs Racing team has four wins this season, and he sees the Toyota's aerodynamic strength on high‑speed ovals as a decisive advantage. While Team Penske has dominated on tracks a mile or shorter, its performance on 1.5‑mile venues has been limited, prompting President Michael Nelson to acknowledge the need for improvement. Hamlin's consistency on short tracks, the locked top‑13 positions, and the tight battle for the final two playoff spots add further intrigue, especially with new Daytona regulations that eliminate practice sessions.
Aug 24, 2026