DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) Denny Hamlins fire to win is still there. He showed that again at Darlington Raceway.
At an age when many of his contemporaries for the past two decades are in the broadcast booth, have moved on to other ventures or simply are holding on without much success, the 44-year-old Hamlin appears at the top of his game.
Hamlin followed up his victory at Martinsville by winning in overtime at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. It was his 56th career NASCAR win, his fifth at the track nicknamed Too Tough To Tame and his first consecutive victories since 2012. He has marked himself as a serious contender for his missing accolade, a Cup Series title that hes watched others at Joe Gibbs Racing accomplish during his 20 years with the organization.
And hes done working smarter, not harder.
As Ive gotten older, Ive realized that Im not going to win these races on raw talent anymore, Hamlin said. Im going to have to outwork people. Im going to have to look at things that maybe other people arent looking at.
Team owner Joe Gibbs testified to Hamlins diligence in working the simulator to gain every advantage, not just for his No. 11 team but for all of Gibbs drivers.
Hamlin said that approach led him to victory at Darlington, where he knew midway through the race that he didnt have enough to match up with leader William Byron, who led the first 243 laps. But he, crew chief Chris Gayle and his pit crew took advantage of their stops to keep Hamlin moving forward when the race got flagged toward the end.
Hamlin was third on the final caution a spinout by Kyle Larson that ruined the victory chances of Ryan Blaney, who had just passed for the lead with three laps remaining entering the pits and got out in first. He chose the outside lane and burst forward on the restart, never challenged for the victory.
Hamlin, Gibbs and Gayle praised the pit crew, who no doubt played a major role in the latest JGR victory.
They are just villains. They just want that moment where they can go in there and just rip everybodys hearts out, win the race and walk away, Gayle said.
Hamlin has been a bit of a villain, too, for fans. When he said right after getting out of his car that his two favorites at the moment were his pit crew and Kyle Larson for the late caution, those at the finish line at Darlington booed the winner.
I think its just my personality. I understand that. I bring it upon myself most times. But I love it, he said. I love the reaction that I get out of people.
Hamlin would sure love to hear what they say if he made the championship four and won the final race at Phoenix. He has had opportunities in the past in 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021 without success. Hamlin has watch teammates Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch win titles during his time with Joe Gibbs.
The coach believes Hamlins time is coming and quickly.
You get somebody that age that still has the drive to get it done, I think Denny has a real drive, and I think were fortunate to have him, Gibbs said.
Michael Jordan, co-owner with Hamlin in 23XI Racing , was on hand at Darlington and told Fox TV before the race that Hamlin deserves to win a title given all hes done and that he believes Hamlin will keep working to accomplish that before hes through driving.
Hamlin is grateful hes still a winning driver and confident that will continue this season.
It still feels good from my standpoint that I can at 44 go out here and win back-to-back races, be in contention week in, week out, still be at the top of my game, Hamlin said. Nothings dropped off.
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AP NASCAR: https://apnews.com/hub/nascar-racing
南卡罗来纳州达灵顿（好意思联社）——丹尼·哈姆林（Denny Hamlin）的夺冠之火仍然遗弃着。他在达灵顿赛说念上再次评释了这少量。
当昔日二十年间许多同龄东说念主齐在播送间、转向其他作事或只是在无甚设立中坚执时，44岁的哈姆林已经处于其作事的巅峰。
哈姆林在马丁斯维尔取得告捷后，于周日达灵顿赛说念加时赛中再次凯旋。这是他作事糊口中的第56场NASCAR告捷，是他第五次在“难以依从”的赛说念上凯旋，亦然自2012年以来初度贯串凯旋。他将我方标记为又名严肃的竞争者，为他在杰·吉布斯车队20年糊口中一直未能获取的奖杯——杯系列赛冠军，而这个冠军他看着乔·吉布斯车队的其他东说念主扫尾了。
他运行更贤达地责任，而不是更竭力于地责任。
汉密尔顿（Hamlin）说：“跟着年龄的增长，我意志到我弗成再只是依靠资质来赢得比赛了。我必须比别东说念主更竭力于责任。我必须眷注其他东说念主可能莫得详确到的事情。”
车队雇主乔·吉布斯作证，汉姆林在模拟器上的劳作责任，不单是是为了他的11号车队，而是为了系数吉布斯的赛车手们，以获取每一个上风。
哈姆林暗意，这个门径匡助他在达灵顿取得了告捷。在比赛进行到半途时，他意志到我方无法与跨越者威廉·拜伦相抗衡，后者跨越了前243圈。但是，哈姆林、领队克里斯·盖尔和他的维修团队在比赛行将抑制时支配停站契机，让哈姆林不绝前进。
在临了一圈的赛前教化时，哈姆林位列第三。凯尔·拉森（Kyle Larson）的极度让刚刚在还剩三圈时杰出跨越的瑞恩·布兰尼（Ryan Blaney）的告捷但愿龙套。哈姆林参预维修站并第一个离开。他选择了外侧车说念并在再行运行时猛冲上前，从未对告捷发起过挑战。
哈姆林、吉布斯和盖尔赞誉了维修团队，他们无疑在JGR的最新告捷中阐扬了纰谬作用。
他们不外是邪派。他们就念念要阿谁一刹，省略冲进去，把每个东说念主的心齐掏出来，赢得比赛然后全身而退，盖尔（Gayle）说。
对球迷来说，哈姆林（Hamlin）也有点邪派脚色。当他从车里出来后暗意当今他最观赏的是我方的维修团队和凯尔·拉森（Kyle Larson）在临了一刻的警醒时，达灵顿至极线上的不雅众们对这位冠军发出了嘘声。
我以为这主要悔悟于我的秉性。我澄澈这少量。好多工夫是我我方把它引向我方。但我心爱这么，他说。我心爱东说念主们对我的响应。
要是汉密尔顿省略参预锦标赛四强并在凤凰城赢得决赛，他一定很念念听听他们何如说。在昔日，他在2014年、2019年、2020年和2021年齐曾有过这么的契机，但齐未能凯旋。在乔·吉布斯（Joe Gibbs）的期间，汉密尔顿曾目睹队友托尼·斯图尔特（Tony Stewart）和凯尔·布什（Kyle Busch）赢得冠军。
解说服气，哈姆林的期间行将驾临，而且会很快。
你遭受像丹尼（Denny）这么年龄的东说念主，他们仍然有能源去完成事情，我以为丹尼有确凿的能源，咱们很行运能领有他。
迈克尔·乔丹是23XI Racing的统一领有者，他和哈姆林通盘出席了达灵顿的比赛，并在比赛前对福克斯电视台暗意，鉴于哈姆林所作念的一切，他理当赢得冠军，而且他以为哈姆林在退役之前会不绝竭力于争取这一设立。
哈姆林（Hamlin）谢意我方仍然是一位夺冠车手，并自信这将在本赛季不绝。
关于我来说，在44岁时仍然省略在这里赢得贯串的比赛，每周齐保执竞争力，仍然保执最好情景，这嗅觉仍然很好，哈姆林说说念。'一切齐莫得落下。'
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