What Record is Denny Hamlin Chasing Now?

What’s Happening?

Denny Hamlin’s latest win at Michigan International Speedway drove him level with one of the sport’s most recognizable figures, and reignited conversations about how much higher he can still climb before the checkered flag falls on his career.

With his dominant drive at Michigan on Sunday, Denny Hamlin secured the 63rd NASCAR Cup Series win of his career. The win moved the Joe Gibbs Racing driver into a tie for ninth place on the sport’s all-time wins list alongside his late former teammate Kyle Busch.

After climbing from the car, Hamlin paid tribute to Busch by carrying the No. 18 flag and cap into Victory Lane. Now, with 63 wins beside his name, attention has shifted toward the next rung on NASCAR’s ladder of immortality.

What Is the Next Record Hamlin Will Chase?

At the very top of the NASCAR Cup wins list sits Richard Petty with 200 Cup Series victories, a mark that has stood for decades and remains beyond the reach of virtually every modern driver.

For Hamlin’s supporters, however, the only seemingly realistic record belongs to Dale Earnhardt.

Earnhardt’s career ended with 76 Cup Series victories, a number that, 26 years after his last win, still places him among the sport’s most celebrated winners. Now Hamlin sits 13 wins away from drawing level with that total.

Before any discussion about reaching 76 can gain momentum, however, Hamlin must first secure win No. 64 and move ahead of Busch on the all-time list. From there, every win would bring him one step closer to Earnhardt’s record. But how realistic is that pursuit?

What is Denny Hamlin’s Path to Reaching 76 Victories?

While it seems like a tall task in the twilight of his career, Hamlin can start this journey now, and, with luck, could find his way moving up another rung on the ladder.

Looking at the remainder of the 2026 calendar, there are multiple tracks where Hamlin has both history and momentum working in his favor. On paper, the possibility of adding at least six victories before the season ends is far from unrealistic.

• Coming off consecutive wins at Nashville Superspeedway and Michigan International Speedway, if there is one venue that looks tailor-made for Hamlin to continue his winning streak, it is Pocono Raceway. No driver has won more Cup Series races at Pocono than Hamlin. His seven wins at the “Tricky Triangle” stand as the benchmark, making him the most successful driver in the track’s history.
• After Pocono, the schedule will head toward the event at Naval Base Coronado, which will feature a street-course challenge. However, street and road courses have rarely been Hamlin’s strongest suit. While he has shown flashes on road and street circuits, those tracks have not traditionally formed the foundation of his win totals.
• Richmond Raceway, however, could be another successful venue for him. Across 37 starts at Richmond, Hamlin has collected five victories and compiled an average finish of 8.2.
• Then comes Darlington Raceway. The South Carolina track has long been one of Hamlin’s hunting grounds, and his three Southern 500 victories are a big proof of that.
• The Kansas Speedway race will provide him with another potential opportunity to win. Hamlin owns the all-time record there with four wins on the 1.5-mile oval. Earlier this season, he finished fourth at Kansas in April. And if circumstances fall into place, another trip to Victory Lane at Kansas would hardly come as a surprise.
• Beyond these venues, Martinsville Speedway continues to stand among the tracks where Hamlin has built much of his record. The Virginia native finished second there in March. With Martinsville occupying a place on the playoff schedule, another strong run from him could help him get closer to the record set by Dale Earnhardt.
• Phoenix Raceway is another racetrack where Hamlin has built his reputation. The track hosted NASCAR’s championship finale for six consecutive seasons. Hamlin has won two races there in 42 starts, with an average finish of 11.0.
• Then he will head to Homestead-Miami Speedway, the finale venue, where, in 21 starts, Hamlin has recorded three victories and an average finish of 10.2. The track has delivered memorable moments throughout his career and could once again become a venue for another win.

However, the larger challenge is that, to climb from 63 wins to 76 by the end of next season, the season that many believe could be Hamlin’s last before retirement, would require an extraordinary run of continuous success.

For now, Hamlin has already secured his place among NASCAR’s winningest drivers. But with Busch now beside him on the all-time list and Earnhardt still visible up the road, the chase will be even more difficult.

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