Denny Hamlin claims the 2024 Cup finale will feature “more unpredictable” final four ever

Denny Hamlin stands sixth in the playoffs standings and reckoned that guessing the final four drivers would be unpredictable before Phoenix.

Denny Hamlin claims the 2024 Cup finale will feature “more unpredictable” final four ever

Denny Hamlin (Via IMAGO)

The tale of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season has been full of twists. While youngsters have asserted their presence in the field, some Cup Series champion veterans have drowned in the piling pressure. This has made anticipating the final four finalists before Phoenix even complex, as Denny Hamlin explained that the list of the final four drivers would be more unpredictable than ever.

While William Byron started the season on the front foot, his presence at the top of the table remained quite infrequent. On the other hand, youngsters like Tyler Reddick emerged from the midfield and took on the heavyweights in the form of Kyle Larson and more. Though the 23XI Racer won the Regular Season championship, the fight was not over for the elusive Cup Series title.

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Meanwhile, securing a spot in the final four remains the focus of the remaining eight drivers, who have already securely moved through two rounds of elimination. This caused Denny Hamlin to give an insight into the playoff picture and asserted that this year’s final four would be more unpredictable than ever.

It will mean I got through the carnage. I think that really, especially this season with the schedule, I think it will be a more unpredictable final four than ever.

Denny Hamlin said in an interview with Fox Sports

On the other hand, the JGR driver has had a torrid second half of the season. With his last win dating back to April, in Dover, the 43-year-old has betted on long-term consistency to promote through into the final four. However, a change in his mindset would be required if he wants to win his maiden Cup Series championship this year amidst the likes of table toppers like Larson or Reddick.

Will Ryan Blaney be able to go two for two in his pursuit for a consecutive Cup Series championship?

As it stands, this year’s final four is bound to feature multiple new faces. However, reigning champion, Ryan Blaney, has remained off the centre of attention in the past few months, and his pursuit to win another championship does not correlate with his results as off late.

Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney (Via IMAGO)

Despite the concerns, the 30-year-old remained optimistic that he could get back to his form during the Round of 8 like last year. This would incite a boost of confidence within the Penske garage as he gets ready for the final four races of the season.

We turned it on last year in the Round of 8 and those tracks were great for us. If we can get to the Round of 8 and have the same speed as we had last year, I definitely think we can get back to Phoenix. But we’ll see. Hopefully, it all plays out for us and we can do our job.

Ryan Blaney said in an interview with Fox Sports

On the other hand, the next four races could be a rollercoaster for a few drivers as multiple drivers have faced post-race disqualification recently. Thus, making teams and drivers go the extra mile to make their legal under the regulations, as any mistake could rule them out of the contention for the championship.