Denny Hamlin has overcome the unpredictability of the Daytona 500

Only one active full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series garage has won the DAYTONA 500 more than once. In fact, Denny Hamlin has placed his name on the Harley J. Earl trophy three times—in 2016, 2019 and 2020.

Avoiding calamity and taking the checkered flag in the Great America Race requires some degree of good fortune. But Hamlin’s three victories also suggest that a certain amount of exceptional skill and knowledge also play a role.

“There are so many factors in it,” Hamlin said on Wednesday in the Daytona International Speedway media center. “Just because a lot of times you don’t decide your own fate. People talk about getting in a wreck here is a 50-50 chance—I think it is probably a little higher than that, and most times you don’t create the wreck; you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“It takes three facets to win at this—you’ve got that luck factor, that’s a part of it. Twenty percent, whatever it might be… 30 percent. Execution, and skill set. You’ve got to have all three to win this race, and it’s hard to get all three of those lined up on any given day, which is why probably the best driver ever here—Dale Earnhardt (Sr.)—won a billion races but didn’t win this one because on that day, he didn’t have all of those things line up for him.

“On any given (non-superspeedway) weekend, the fast cars make it to the front no matter what, there is less attrition, less luck when it comes to being involved in wrecks, so I just think that is part of it.”

Notes: Earnhardt finally won the Daytona in 1998, on his 20th attempt… Two-time DAYTONA 500 winner Jimmie Johnson, who hasn’t raced in the Cup Series full-time since 2020, will attempt to qualify for Sunday’s race.