As NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend, Denny Hamlin arrives at “The Last Great Colosseum” with history in his sights and momentum at his back. The concrete high banks of the 0.533-mile Tennessee oval have witnessed Hamlin’s excellence more than any other current driver, with his four Bristol victories standing as testament to his mastery of one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks. Now, riding consecutive wins at Martinsville and Darlington, the 44-year-old veteran approaches a weekend where personal milestones and racing immortality hang in the balance.

This Sunday, Denny Hamlin will make his 400th consecutive Cup Series start and his 36th career appearance at Bristol, where he’ll start fourth as he pursues achievements that will further cement his legacy.

Chasing JGR History While Eyeing a Three-Peat

Hamlin’s next trip to victory lane will break his tie with Kyle Busch and make him the winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history with 57 victories—a milestone that resonates deeply with the Virginia native who has spent his entire Cup Series career with the organization.

“It certainly is special,” Hamlin acknowledged about potentially becoming JGR’s all-time wins leader. “Such a historic organization obviously with championship drivers and whatnot. I’ve been there longer than anyone else, so that increased my odds, but there’s just been a lot of greats that have run through there, so it’s certainly a title I’d like to have.”

A victory would also make Hamlin the second driver this season to win three consecutive races, joining teammate Christopher Bell in accomplishing the rare feat. Yet Hamlin approaches the challenge with measured expectations. “I try not to psych myself out too much about it because I think you sometimes put so much emphasis on those type of situations, and you end up making silly mistakes,” Hamlin said. “If it just so happens that it is three in a row, that would be awesome and a very proud moment in my career, but it is not something that we set out to do each and every week.”

Bristol has been particularly kind to Hamlin, who has led at least 142 laps in two of his past three victories at the track. His September 2023 win was punctuated by a memorable taunt to the Bristol crowd—“I beat your favorite driver. All of them”—embracing the villain role that often follows him in NASCAR’s most intimate venues. As Joey Logano noted about Bristol: “You definitely hear the cheers and the boos. They’re much more in your face. It kind of brings a little bit more of the stadium environment that other sports get to enjoy.”

Despite still pursuing his elusive first championship, Denny Hamlin’s drive remains undimmed at 44. “My drive is still there,” he reflected. “Obviously, the performance is still there. I’m just going to keep trying to win all that I can in this window when it is still there.” That window has remained open remarkably long, as evidenced by another milestone awaiting him Sunday.

When Hamlin takes the green flag Sunday, he’ll become the 30th driver in Cup Series history to make 400 consecutive starts. The physical and mental resilience required to maintain such consistency isn’t lost on the veteran. “I haven’t really thought of it or anything like that, it’s certainly very hard to do,” Hamlin said about reaching 400 consecutive starts. “I’ve done this for 20-some years now and certainly know the toll that it takes on your body in the long term. It’s very, very difficult to stay in the car at all times, and I’ve had to miss a few times because of other things, but certainly it’s great to be part of the sport as long as I have.”

As tire wear is expected to be a major factor in Sunday’s 500-lap Bristol race, Hamlin enters as the second betting favorite (+425) behind Kyle Larson (+400). Starting fourth, he’ll chase a victory that would not only make him JGR’s all-time wins leader but also further solidify his status as Bristol’s most dominant current driver—proving that after 20ish years, Denny Hamlin isn’t just surviving in NASCAR’s gladiatorial arena, he’s still conquering it.

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Lady Luck Rides With Hamlin: From Vegas Jackpots to Bristol Glory?

Hamlin’s pursuit of racing history at Bristol comes with an intriguing subplot—his remarkable string of luck at the slot machines. During the Las Vegas race weekend in March, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran hit a staggering $211,000 jackpot on a Friday night, followed by another $85,000 win on Saturday. Though that casino fortune didn’t immediately translate to on-track success in Vegas, where he finished 25th, it appears Hamlin’s lucky streak has found its way to the racetrack in the weeks since.

The hot hand has continued for Hamlin even as he arrives in Bristol. In a series of Instagram stories posted before the race weekend, Hamlin shared videos of himself back at the slots, captioning “We meet again 🐂” as the machine’s prize money rapidly climbed past $3,500. The camera then panned to show a smiling Hamlin offering a playful shrug as the jackpots continued to pile up—perhaps a good omen for his chances at making history on the high banks of Bristol.

While luck plays its part in racing, Hamlin faces stiff competition in Kyle Larson, who dominated last September’s Bristol Night Race by leading 462 of 500 laps and has already claimed victory in Saturday’s Xfinity race at the track. As BetMGM Sportsbook lists Larson as the favorite to win Sunday’s Food City 500, Hamlin will need more than slot machine fortune to complete his hat trick. Still, if his casino winnings are any indication, the stars might indeed be aligning perfectly for NASCAR’s hottest driver.