Overview
- The Las Vegas victory was Hamlin’s 61st Cup win, moving him past Kevin Harvick to 10th all time and leaving him two shy of Kyle Busch.
- He sits fourth in the early standings after five races as his late-career form holds at age 45.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. publicly picked Hamlin to win the 2026 championship, with Mark Martin calling him “one of the greatest” and Richard Petty voicing support.
- Hamlin credits a post-2019 embrace of data, simulator time and intensive preparation for sustaining speed and execution.
- Attention shifts to Darlington, where he is the defending winner, with Hamlin warning of new unknowns from less downforce and more horsepower.