CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Denny Hamlin has not finished lower than fifth since early July and his current six-race streak includes two victories in the last four races, a pair of runner-ups and a third-place finish.
A year removed from the first winless season of his NASCAR career, Hamlin is officially a title threat again. He is third in the standings, tied with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. with Cup-series highs of four wins each, and has the confidence to finally grab his first championship.
Hamlin heads to Darlington Raceway for Sunday nights Southern 500. He is a two-time winner at Darlington and his average finish on one of the most challenging tracks in NASCAR is sixth.