Another championship heartbreak may be waiting around the corner for Denny Hamlin, and this time, he can see it coming. With two races left in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Hamlin is watching Kyle Larson turn a once-promising title…

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin admitted that contenders are "all racing for second" as Kyle Larson opened a commanding 73-point championship lead with two races remaining. Speaking on Actions Detrimental, Hamlin acknowledged that erasing the deficit is highly unlikely under NASCAR's format, despite Hamlin winning the regular-season title.
Larson expanded his advantage by winning at Talladega Superspeedway, leaving him in position to clinch the title at Martinsville Speedway by scoring 59 points. Hamlin finished eighth at Talladega after suffering crash damage, leaving him needing dominant wins and significant misfortune for Larson across the final two races.
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