A 10th-place finish usually isn't a big deal for Denny Hamlin -- but it was at a track that has been as unkind to him as Circuit of the Americas has been.
AUSTIN -- A 10th-place finish usually isn't a big deal for Denny Hamlin -- but it was at a track that has been as unkind to him as Circuit of the Americas has been.
© Michael C. Johnson | 2026 Mar 1After finishing no better than 14th at the track, and a track-worst 21st last year, Hamlin earned his first top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series at COTA.
Hamlin's weak spot at COTA has never been about starting, as Hamlin has started as well eighth (twice) and 11th at the track, but it was for him this year. He started 19th and had an average running position of 18th, only racking up a stage point -- for finishing 19th in stage one -- after everyone else pitted.
With 21 laps to go, a caution flew for Ross Chastain losing a wheel. Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gayle took a gamble and stayed out, restarting eighth with six drivers behind him who also stayed out.
On the restart, Hamlin survived the chaos of Connor Zilisch and Zane Smith spinning in front of him to run near the top-five.
As the laps wound down, Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and AJ Allmendinger all passed him but Hamlin held on to finish 10th -- his first Cup top-10 finish at COTA.
"First mistake-free road course for me in six years. It's freaking amazing. It's like a win. I'm telling you, this is a win," Hamlin said.
The 10th-place finish is the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship runner-up's best finish of the 2026 season so far. He finished 31st in the Daytona 500 after a late-race crash and 13th at EchoPark Speedway Atlanta, also after a late-race crash.
Hamlin sits 23rd in points, eight points behind a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase.
Next up for him and the NASCAR Cup Series field is the site of heartbreak -- Phoenix Raceway.
In the fall, Hamlin led 208 of 312 laps in the championship race and seemed destined to win before a caution came out for William Byron and sent the race into overtime. Ultimately, Hamlin finished sixth and lost the championship to Kyle Larson who didn't lead any laps in the race.
After the race, Hamlin said he didn't want to even think about getting back in a car. Ultimately, despite also having the unimaginable tragedy of suddenly losing his father in the off-season, Hamlin returned to the car and will now look to claim his third Cup win at Phoenix.