5 times Denny Hamlin was very close to clinching the NASCAR Cup Series championship

In his 20-year Cup Series journey, Denny Hamlin has come close to the title one too many times. Right from his rookie season in 2006, Hamlin was able to finish among the top five in the standings, a feat he'd repeat over ten times in his career.

With yet another title shot taken from under his grasp, here are five times the Joe Gibbs Racing ace stood on the brink of a championship.

2010 - Denny Hamlin's first runner-up season

Hamlin entered the finale with a 15-point lead over Jimmie Johnson. However, he began at the rear and spun early after making contact with Greg Biffle. This left him with splitter damage that crippled the car's pace and had him finishing 14th, while Johnson finished second and took home the trophy.

2014 - NASCAR's first championship four heartbreak

Denny Hamlin reached the inaugural championship four race under the new elimination format. He looked like a serious title threat after leading 50 laps, but a late-stage caution had him staying out while others pitted.

Kevin Harvick eventually ran him down with seven laps to go. Hamlin slipped to third in the standings after Newman passed him as well.

2019 - The overheating disaster

Hamlin once again made the championship four alongside his JGR teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. His team put on too much grill tape and caused the car to overheat, leading to a water leakage with 50 laps left. As such, he was forced to pit and avoid an engine failure. The DNF marked him fourth in the final standings.

2021 - Maiden fight with Kyle Larson

2021 marked Denny Hamlin's third consecutive appearance in the final four. His 2020 outing saw him unable to match his rivals' pace, as he finished fourth a second time.

This time around, he suffered yet another lacklustre race with no laps led. However, he lined up beside Kyle Larson on the final restart, but fell victim to Larson's pace under clean air. He ultimately finished third in both the race and the championship hunt.

2025 - Larson's gamble, Hamlin's heartbreak

Hamlin entered the championship race as the most winningest driver in 2025. The No.11 driver began his latest title bid on pole and led a race-high 208 out of 319 laps. Despite facing clutch issues and a tire failure, the JGR driver returned to the lead on seven occasions.

He was about 40 seconds from taking the white flag when William Byron hit the walls with a cut tyre, which triggered a caution that mixed up the running order. Kyle Larson, who was nowhere near Hamlin's pace, took a desperate two-tire call for the overtime restart, while the No.11 team opted for four fresh tires.

Consequently, Denny Hamlin began the two-lap shootout from tenth, while Larson rolled off from sixth. Hamlin clawed back to sixth, but Larson’s two-tire gamble sealed the title.

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Edited by Vignesh Kanna