Denny Hamlin Enters the Chase as the No. 1 Seed

Denny Hamlin is entering the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase with one of the best opportunities of his career to finally capture his first championship.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will lead the 16 driver postseason field as the No. 1 seed after putting together a dominant regular season. Hamlin officially clinched the top seed following his seventh place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He enters the Chase with a 25 point advantage over Ryan Blaney.

Hamlin's regular season was highlighted by an impressive three-race winning streak. He picked up victories at Nashville Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway, establishing himself as one of the strongest drivers in the series heading into the postseason.

Consistency has also been a major reason for Hamlin's success. After 26 regular-season races, he finished with 1,027 points before the championship reset. That reset puts him at 2,100 points to begin the Chase, giving him the largest starting advantage in the 16 driver field.

Now, Hamlin will try to turn that regular-season success into a championship.

The 2026 Chase will feature 10 races, beginning with the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6. Hamlin has already shown that he can perform well at several of the tracks coming up on the schedule, making him an early favorite to make a deep championship run.

For Hamlin, the pressure is especially high. He has built one of the most successful careers in NASCAR without winning a Cup Series championship. Despite multiple championship appearances, the title has continued to elude the veteran driver.

This year, however, Hamlin enters the postseason with momentum, experience and the No. 1 seed.

The Chase will ultimately determine whether he can finish the job. With a strong Joe Gibbs Racing team behind him and a 25 point cushion to start the postseason, Hamlin has put himself in an ideal position.

Now comes the biggest challenge: finally bringing home the championship that has escaped him throughout his legendary career.