Denny Hamlin predicts why Las Vegas’ pit entry might pose a special challenge for NASCAR drivers

Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on the pit lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which penalized several drivers during the spring race earlier this year. The veteran NASCAR driver explained that there’s nothing inherently wrong with the pit road itself; rather, the drivers tend to push the limits that often get them in trouble.

During the 2025 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, multiple drivers were penalized for speeding on pit road, including Hamlin himself, who was caught on lap 34. Now, he returns to the 1.5-mile Nevada oval with the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the pole position, an advantageous spot as he looks to keep his playoff hopes alive.

In a pre-race interview, the 44-year-old gave a driver's perspective on the pit road at LVMS, saying (via Bob Pockrass on X):

“The only thing that makes it difficult... truthfully, if you try to run the speed limit, it's not a difficult pit road. But we're always trying to find all of the edges we can. At the beginning of the pit road, this pit road is curved, and anywhere there's a curve in a NASCAR pit lane, that's a place you can cheat the system, and you try to do it to the best of your ability.” [0:27]

Denny Hamlin enters the South Point 400 at Las Vegas as the top-seeded driver in the playoff standings with an eight-point cushion above the cutline. Ryan Blaney holds the second spot ahead of Kyle Larson and William Byron, respectively. Meanwhile, the drivers below the cutline are Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and defending champion Joey Logano.

After the Sin City race, NASCAR will head to the Talladega Superspeedway for the second event of the Round of 8. This round will conclude in the elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, which will complete the final four contenders for the championship.

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“This racetrack is the most important”: Denny Hamlin on his playoff campaign at Las Vegas

Given Talladega Superspeedway’s unpredictable nature, Denny Hamlin emphasized that securing a strong finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is vital to his playoff hopes. He admitted he’s not counting on a solid result at Talladega, recognizing that success there often comes down to luck.

The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver said (via Cup Scene on YouTube):

“If you leave here in a hole, then you're now counting on a good Talladega race, and you can't really count on that. You might as well budget yourself to finish 25th in points with those stage points. That’s like a realistic (idea) of how many points you’re going to get when you go to that racetrack, unless you get fortunate. So this racetrack to me is certainly, probably the most important.” [8:18]

Denny Hamlin drives the #11 Toyota Camry at Joe Gibbs Racing - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin is the second-winningest active driver with 59 victories, four wins behind former JGR teammate Kyle Busch. However, Hamlin has yet to win his first NASCAR championship, placing him alongside Junior Johnson in the 50-win club without a title.

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Edited by Zarec Sanchez