Denny Hamlin Warns Joe Gibbs Young Driver As He Predicts Big Changes in the Playoffs at The Charlotte Roval

When you’re in the NASCAR playoffs, every race is a battleground, and every point matters. As the postseason continues to unfold, the drivers are leaving it all on the track. And the upcoming race at the Charlotte Roval promises to be a pivotal moment in the championship chase. However, in the midst of this intense competition, Denny Hamlin has warned his young Joe Gibbs Racing teammate of a big shakeup.

Christopher Bell, the young gun for Joe Gibbs, has had a rollercoaster journey through the playoffs. He displayed his prowess by claiming all three poles in the initial playoff rounds. However, closing the deal with a win has proven to be a challenge. Currently ranked fourth in the playoff standings with a 22-point cushion above the cutline, Bell faces a critical test at the Charlotte Roval.

Denny Hamlin warns Bell of a massive shakeup in the playoffs at Roval

Charlotte Roval could make or break Christopher Bell’s playoff hopes. His teammate Denny Hamlin is well aware of the significance of the moment. Hamlin, sitting comfortably in third place with a 50-point cushion, recently shared his insights on the possible upheaval in the playoffs on his podcast. Denny Hamlin has a keen eye for the playoff dynamics. During the podcast, Hamlin hinted at the potential for significant changes in the playoff standings at Roval.

“I am looking at the standings, I think somebody from the bottom… I am just trying to figure out whether I would say two cars make it from the bottom to the top or one car, I don’t think it’s no cars, I think definitely somebody makes it from the bottom. Who they replace is anyone’s guess. I think it’s just a matter of who has a bad race. So who is nervous this weekend? Bell’s +22. I don’t know. Everyone’s nervous. If I were +22, I would be nervous too,” Hamlin remarked.

When Jared asked him how much movement in the standings, he expects at a track live Roval, Hamlin simply said, “A ton.” He then explains, “Because of the stage points. And more than likely, Bell through maybe Kyle Busch, it just depends on where Kyle qualifies. If he qualifies up front, if he leads the race early, he could potentially pit and still get stage points. But I don’t know, he needs 26.”

When Travis reminded him that the race will have stage breaks as well, Hamlin added, “Right, so there is going to be cars that flip the field and what I think is that there’s gonna be 26 cars that don’t give a sh*t about stage points and will flip the field. And only these guys from Bell to Busch are gonna care about them. I mean, I don’t think that we’re gonna care. I think it just kinda depends on who’s running where at that point.”

While Denny Hamlin assesses the playoff landscape and offers insights into the potential shakeup at the Roval, another NASCAR personality is making a bold prediction about Hamlin himself.

Kyle Petty predicts Hamlin to go all the way to Phoenix to fight for the title

Kyle Petty, no stranger to the sport, believes that 2023 could be the year of Denny Hamlin’s championship triumph. Hamlin has repeatedly stated that this is his year to claim the elusive Cup title, and his performances have aligned with this prophecy. Kyle Petty, in a recent discussion on the NASCAR on NBC podcast, shared his perspective on why Hamlin might be the driver to watch this season.

“When it’s your year, it’s your year and this appears to be Denny’s year because of these little things we’re watching right now,” Petty declared. Petty highlighted Hamlin’s ability to recover from challenging situations, a trait that sets him apart from the competition. “Right now, Denny is on a high. They can do nothing wrong, they can speed on the pit road, they can do whatever they want to do and they’re going to salvage a top five,” Petty explained.

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However, Petty also identified an area where Hamlin and his team can further improve. Pit road performance. Despite this minor setback, Petty firmly believes that Hamlin is in a league of his own in 2023. “I don’t believe Larson is in that league right now. Because Larson will have made a mistake and something, and they don’t recover. We know Truex has not recovered from anything. So who else is there? Right now, there’s just Denny Hamlin, and it’s going to fall on him going into Phoenix,” Petty concluded.