The Cool Down Lap: I’d rather hear fighting words from Denny Hamlin

The Cool Down Lap: I’d rather hear fighting words from Denny Hamlin

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(August 22, 2011)

On a recent trip that required a connection through the Atlanta airport, I grabbed dinner between flights at an Asian fusion restaurant on “E” Concourse.

 The name of the place was “One Flew South.”

 It reminded me of Denny Hamlin.

 After Hamlin launched himself into the Turn 1 wall in Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway, he saw his Chase hopes headed for the edge of the metaphorical cliff at breakneck speed.

 Yes, Hamlin still clings tenuously to the second wild-card berth, but he’s already exploring in his mind what life would be like without the Chase.

 “Who knows? Maybe missing the Chase would be the best thing for us for next year,” Hamlin said Sunday afternoon. “We could spend 10 weeks screwing around, thinking of different, new ways to make our cars better and not having to points-race for 10 weeks.

 “I don’t know. I want to make the Chase—trust me. My livelihood … (it) really helps with making the Chase. But if missing the Chase opens up the door for communication, for us to take some more chances and experiment with new things, and it makes us better this year, then so be it.”

 But wait—there’s more.

 “It’s pro sports,” Hamlin added. “How many Super Bowl teams don’t make the playoffs the next year?”

 If I’m an owner, a sponsor or a member of Hamlin’s crew, I want to hear fighting words from a driver who’s struggling to keep his spot in the upcoming Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, not philosophical acceptance of failure bordering on resignation—before the fact.

 Last year, Hamlin’s cars were superior.

 “Things almost seemed too easy last year,” Hamlin said.

 With two races left in 2010, on the heels of a victory at Texas—his eighth of the season—Hamlin led Jimmie Johnson by 33 points. Five-Time was on the ropes.

 A week later, Hamlin dominated the race at Phoenix, leading 190 laps, but when his team failed to anticipate the fuel-mileage strategy of Johnson and others, Hamlin had to pit late in the race, finished 12th and saw his lead trimmed to 15 points.

 A shell-shocked Hamlin talked to reporters after the race. That same Hamlin sat between Johnson and Kevin Harvick at a news conference before the season finale at Homestead and took some serious needling from both flanks.

 At that point, everyone knew it was over. Hamlin spun early in a three-wide situation in Turn 2 and never recovered.

 Now, with the Chase on the line, we’re about to write Chapter 2, unless Hamlin can find the inner strength to fight through the No. 11 team’s problems.

 “We’ve got to find what makes me tick on the racetrack, what makes me happy,” said Hamlin, who admits to pushing the issue with his cars because they’re not handling as well as they were last year. “At this point, we’ve struggled to find that the last 10 weeks or so.

 “There was a point in the season where we were leading a lot of laps, just not finishing because of pit crew issues, mechanical issues—things like that. Now, everyone in that department has gotten better. Now the driver’s making a few mistakes. We’ve just got to put it all together in the next three weeks.”

 If Hamlin is resigned to the idea of missing the Chase and thinks there could be advantages to doing so, putting it together over the next three weeks won’t happen.

 “It’s a snowball effect in our sport where, when things don’t go right, it’s hard not to press the panic button,” Hamlin said. “I think I’ve done a good job of not doing that through the course of my career, but the last five weeks, I can’t necessarily say that’s the case.”

 Hearing that, you have to wonder whether this year’s Chase might prove as elusive as last year’s championship.