Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has fashioned a celebrated career—54 NASCAR Cup Series wins, including three Daytona 500 victories, three Southern 500 wins and a Coca-Cola 600 trophy.
But the 43-year old veteran still has that one cherished trophy he’d love to add to the collection: a Brickyard 400 win on the historic oval track.
Hamlin has eight top-10 finishes in 15 starts on the oval and scored a career-best third-place finish three times, in 2008, 2014 and 2018.
“To me the Southern 500 and the Brickyard 400 (are) kind of equal in prestige,” said Hamlin, who added that he’s glad NASCAR moved its big event from the road course back to the 2.5-mile oval.
“I always felt that we were going to come back here one day,” said the driver of the No. 11 JGR Toyota. “I was never resigned to the fact that the road course was going to be a permanent thing.
“But I just didn’t know how long my career would go at that point. I don’t have that many chances left. It’s less than what’s on my hand I would think, so just going to take advantage of every opportunity.
“Overall, I feel like I’ve always been in contention here, just never gotten it done.”
Hamlin was one of three drivers who participated in a test at Indianapolis earlier this season and was third quickest in practice on Friday. He will roll off second Sunday.
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