Daytona Beach, Fla. – Denny Hamlin is preparing to reclaim his competitive form for the 2026 NASCAR season after a difficult period during 2025. The veteran driver, who pushed hard for the NASCAR Cup Series championship last year, is now ready to refocus his efforts as the new 10-race Chase championship format approaches in September.
Throughout 2025, Hamlin, 45, demonstrated top-tier preparation and performance at key moments, particularly during the championship event at Phoenix Raceway. He dominated much of the race by leading 208 of the 319 laps and winning the second stage. However, an ill-timed caution prevented him from sealing a likely victory and claiming the Cup title.
Following that setback, Hamlin faced another personal blow when his father, Dennis Hamlin, tragically died from injuries in a house fire on December 28. His mother, Mary Lou Hamlin, suffered severe injuries in the same incident. These events understandably affected Hamlin’s momentum early in the current season, but he is optimistic about regaining full strength as the year unfolds.
During media interviews at Daytona International Speedway ahead of the Daytona 500, Hamlin reflected on his current mindset:
“We’re kind of getting back into the swing of things,”
Hamlin said Wednesday.
“Certainly, would be lying if I said I was as highly motivated as I have been in years past, but I think that—I said it last week—it would just take some time. And I think that every day at the race track is certainly getting there. I know I’m way too competitive to just go through the motions. So, as we get on the racetrack, go through practices and qualifying, we’re slowly getting there.”
– Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
His connection with team owner Joe Gibbs has been a critical support during these efforts. Hamlin noted Gibbs’ personal experience with grief and his unwavering leadership through the toughest times.
“I mean, Joe beat me to the hospital the night of,”
Hamlin said.
The guy is just unbelievable in how he is as a leader, and obviously he has been through it (with the loss of sons J.D. Gibbs and Coy Gibbs). So, my connection really on that personal level is more so with Joe, and it’s always been that way since he kind of took over as my at-track dad.”
– Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
Despite recent hardships, Hamlin’s competitive fire remains strong as he prepares to pursue his fourth DAYTONA 500 victory this Sunday, a feat achieved only by racing legends Richard Petty with seven wins and Cale Yarborough with four.
Connor Zilisch Braces for a High-Pressure NASCAR Cup Debut
Alongside established stars like Hamlin, rising talent Connor Zilisch is set to make his full-time NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2026. The 19-year-old from Charlotte comes into the season poised to drive the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, beginning with the prestigious DAYTONA 500.
Zilisch’s record is impressive: a versatile winner across multiple car types and a 24 Hour of Daytona class winner even before reaching legal driving age. Last year, he swept through the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with 10 victories and a series-best 18 consecutive top-five finishes. These accomplishments earned him the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title and the championship runner-up position.
Returning to Daytona International Speedway as a racer rather than fan is a milestone, recalling his first visit four years prior when he struggled just to get a pit pass. Facing the sport’s elite in the Great American Race brings high expectations from fans and media alike, though Zilisch remains grounded.
“I appreciate the excitement, I think it’s really cool that there’s a lot of people excited to watch how I’m going to do this season, whether it’s fans or media,”
Zilisch said.
“I do think it sometimes gets a little outlandish… a lot of people maybe expecting a lot of me in my first year. I don’t think people realize how big of a jump it is from Saturday to Sunday. But I try not to pay too much attention to it. I know what my personal goals are throughout the year. I know what I want to accomplish and my long-term goals. I find it cool mostly.”
– Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Driver
Zilisch aims to complete all race laps and hopes to crack the top 10 in his debut. A victory would mark a historic moment, making him the youngest winner in DAYTONA 500 history.
Chase Elliott Speaks on the Return to the 10-Race Chase Format
Another notable voice among drivers is Chase Elliott, who welcomed NASCAR’s decision to return to the 10-race Chase format to decide the champion. Beyond the coincidence of his last name matching the format’s title, Elliott appreciates the authenticity and uniqueness the Chase brings to motorsports.
“Motorsports is just a little different, and I think we’ve spent an awful lot of time trying to be like everybody else,”
Elliott remarked at DAYTONA 500 Media Day.
“I’m really proud of leadership of saying, ‘Hey look, let’s be us and let’s go do our own thing. The Chase format was really unlike anything else in sports that I could remember at that time when it came out. Very genuine, very original. I think it fits. It never felt like a playoff to me, and not because of my name, but ‘The Chase’ does sound good. It sounds like racing. It sounds like a racing term.”
– Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver
Kyle Busch Pursues First DAYTONA 500 Win in His 21st Start
Kyle Busch enters his 21st DAYTONA 500 still chasing a victory that has eluded him despite his phenomenal career. The 40-year-old Las Vegas native boasts the highest number of wins across NASCAR’s three national series with 232, yet the Great American Race win remains the last major milestone to check off his list.
Busch has claimed wins at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series (summer 2008), the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2007), and the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2014). He has finished in the top ten five times at the 2.5-mile speedway, including an impressive third place in 2016—an event won by his then Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.
Reflecting on his evolving mindset, Busch acknowledged how experience has changed his approach to the unpredictable nature of the DAYTONA 500.
“Coming to Daytona, as you’re coming in (to your career) maybe four, five years in, you’re a young guy, you’re pumped up and amped for the DAYTONA 500,”
Busch explained.
“As you go on through the years, you’ve got to figure out a way to be in the right ‘mind place’ and figure out how to go out there, excel and be in the right place at the right time (to win). We’ve seen it here the last couple years. You can be leading coming off Turn 2 and not make it back to the start-finish line. You can be running fifth, or seventh or 11th and be the one that wins the race. It’s just a matter of having it be your way.”
– Kyle Busch, NASCAR Driver
Busch expressed enthusiasm about finally securing a DAYTONA 500 victory.
“Being able to win Daytona, that’s obviously sort of the last box to check in my career, and getting that done would be a lot of fun,”
he said, smiling broadly.
“We’d celebrate that really, really big.”
– Kyle Busch, NASCAR Driver
Brad Keselowski Progresses Toward Racing Soon After Leg Injury
Coming off a severe injury, Brad Keselowski appeared at DAYTONA 500 Media Day supported by a cane adorned with stickers reflecting his No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford. The cane, while humorous to Keselowski, serves as a symbol of his determination to return to the track quickly after breaking his femur.
Keselowski’s injury occurred during a family ski trip in mid-December, far more serious than past injuries, including the broken ankle suffered in a 2011 wreck at Road Atlanta. His immediate reaction on the icy ground was a mix of pain and grim historical reflection.
“When I was laying on the ground and I was completely immobile immediately after I broke my leg, what was going through my mind was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Like, think about the soldiers in the Civil War,”
Keselowski said.
“Like, they just would cut their leg off right here. And I understood why they would do it, because it hurt so bad. It was by far the worst pain I’ve ever went through. I get why they would bring out the hacksaw. There was a part of me that was like, that might actually feel better.”
– Brad Keselowski, NASCAR Driver
Despite the severity of the injury, Keselowski was cleared to compete in the upcoming DAYTONA 500 after missing the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. However, concerns remain about his endurance for subsequent races, such as the Circuit of The Americas road course event on March 1. To cover those possibilities, sports car driver Joey Hand is on standby as a relief driver.
The 2026 NASCAR Season Brims with Anticipation and New Challenges
The start of the 2026 NASCAR season ushers in a mix of hopeful returns, ambitious debuts, and the continuation of intense competition at iconic venues like Daytona International Speedway. For Denny Hamlin, overcoming personal tragedy while regaining his championship form will be a defining storyline, as he aims to add to his legacy and pursue another DAYTONA 500 trophy.
Meanwhile, emerging talents like Connor Zilisch face the pressures and promises of racing against the sport’s elite in their rookie runs. Veteran drivers such as Kyle Busch seek career milestones that have eluded them despite long and storied careers. Injured stars like Brad Keselowski fight to prove their resilience and remain competitive in a sport known for its physical and mental demands.
With the resurgence of the 10-race Chase format, drivers and fans alike confront a championship race that emphasizes consistency and high stakes over an intense short series. As the season progresses, all eyes will remain fixed on how experience, youth, and determination collide in pursuit of NASCAR glory.
