NASCAR embarks on Round of 8: Is this Denny Hamlin’s year?

After one other wacky, unpredictable three races, the NASCAR Playoff subject is all the way down to eight, with one other three showdowns remaining to find out the 4 who will contend for the Cup Sequence title at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5. To kind out what has occurred and what might nonetheless occur, it is time to run a flying lap with Marty & McGee, who discuss rising previous, dwindling title photographs, NASCAR’s youth motion and fancy kicks.

Ryan McGee: Okay, Marty, it is time for the subsequent spherical of the NASCAR Playoffs, the Spherical of 8. Is there something that surprises you whenever you have a look at the eight that we’ve?

Marty Smith: No. I am tremendous impressed with a few the groups however I would not say that I am essentially shocked. Tyler Reddick, I believe has been simply actually, actually quick and actually spectacular for 23XI Racing. And along with his capability to control and carry out on these racetracks arising, I really feel like he has an actual alternative.

McGee: It is an fascinating combine. Again-to-back intermediate tracks at Vegas and Miami-Homestead — which, to me, continues to be bizarre that is not the finale — after which the bullring of Martinsville.

Marty: I nonetheless really feel prefer it’s Denny Hamlin’s 12 months. I simply do. You are in a position to get by means of Talladega, you are in a position to get by means of the Roval and now you are still in a very good place. So, I’ve simply felt for some time, McGee, that this could be a 12 months of future for Denny and there is nothing, even unhealthy luck at Charlotte, which has modified my opinion of that.

– Watch Marty & McGee on SEC Community, Saturdays at 9 a.m. ET

McGee: I have a look at Martinsville in three weekends and I believe lots of people maintain their breath after they see that as the subsequent cutoff race, the one that may decide the Championship 4. However I adore it.

And I do know I am talking to a fellow Virginian right here in you, however Denny Hamlin is a Richmond native, and the primary time I noticed him drive a race automobile was at Martinsville and he was driving an Allison Legacy automobile and he might need been 13 years previous. So, it jogs my memory of after they first began doing the Chase postseason format and the autumn schedule was shuffled and I instantly thought, “Oh man, this schedule proper right here, with the tracks the place they’re, Jimmie Johnson goes to crush all people.” And he did. Once I see Martinsville sitting there for Denny, if there’s a spot that he might drive with a stage of consolation the place possibly others do not have it, to me it is there.

Marty: He is simply form of the brief observe king within the sport proper now. And if he can get to Phoenix, Denny can be in a novel headspace proper now. I believe that his emotional method to this was once, “All proper, I’ll say what I believe, however I’d not likely like how folks reply to it.” Now there was an emotional shift for him, the place it is, “I’ll say precisely what I believe. Y’all be damned.” I believe that he sees that he has a championship-caliber crew, a crew that is succesful in all places, and also you simply do not know the way usually that is going to occur.

McGee: Particularly at 42 years previous with so many trophies however zero championships.

Marty: Precisely. I believe we each agree he is a primary poll NASCAR Corridor of Famer it doesn’t matter what, whether or not he wins a championship or not. If you happen to win as many races as he has, as many Daytona 500s as he has, been aggressive for nearly 20 years, however I do know that he’ll really feel incomplete if he would not get a hoop. And I imagine in my coronary heart that is his finest likelihood but. You see that emotional distinction I am speaking about?

McGee: Completely. I all the time return to the primary time that he was within the final group at Homestead. It was 2006, his second season, and he was scared to dying. I might need been sitting with you on the pre-championship information convention and the best way it was arrange, he was sitting on the entrance desk in between Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth …

Marty: And Jimmie Johnson.

McGee: Yep. The veterans. And I bear in mind we might see Denny was like a literal duck on the pond. From the desk up, he appeared nice, however there was a niche within the apron across the desk and we might see his toes bouncing up and down. After which he had a complete vapor lock in the course of that race and mainly spun himself out of rivalry.

Marty: Now he is the veteran in that last eight.

McGee: Kyle Larson has a championship. Martin Truex Jr. has one. I believe we each agree that William Byron, Christopher Bell, Reddick, Ryan Blaney, all of them have extra title bouts forward of their careers. So, there’s some desperation for Denny, however I do not assume he’ll race determined. Does that make sense?

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Marty: Oh, yeah. I believe he is smarter than that. He’ll solely race determined if he will get to Martinsville and has to. And I believe that he has that in him at this level.

You talked about Truex, he is made pace. He was so quick firstly of the 12 months, and now he is simply creeping, and these subsequent two tracks are his peanut butter and jelly, man. When the Playoffs began, I mentioned I felt just like the 11 and the 19 we will battle for this title. I brazenly admit that I did not give sufficient credit score to Byron and Larson.

McGee: All they do is win, particularly Byron.

Marty: Simply quick as hell in all places. Rick Hendrick noticed that expertise when lots of us kind of puzzled about that, and he has completely validated Rick’s resolution to place him within the 24.

McGee: This eight is stuffed with these guys. That second 4, there’s Chris Buescher, Bell, Reddick, Blaney. We have each been doing this some time and we have each been listening to about these guys endlessly …

Marty: Like, a few of them since they had been in center faculty …

McGee: And now right here they sit with the possibility to contend for a championship. Does that imply we’re previous?

Marty: Sure, it means we’re previous. As Methuselah. However it’s so superior to see them come of age. I imply, Buescher, if in February you’ll have given me an over/below that he would win a number of occasions this season, I would not have taken the wager.

McGee: Particularly not on the reclamation undertaking that’s RFK Racing, proper?

Marty: And all he did was exit and win three races.

McGee: And bossman Brad Keselowski almost made this eight, too.

Marty: Bell could be very quiet, however all the time quick. And once more, I have been so impressed with Reddick. That younger man is as gifted a shoe as there’s within the sport. You go all the best way again to when he was driving Vehicles for Kyle Busch and Kyle was like, “Y’all simply belief me right here. This dude is an absolute shoe.”

McGee: Talking of him being a shoe, hey Mr. Sneakerhead, have you ever seen the Jordan paint scheme Reddick is working this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? I’ve been dying to ask you about it, seeing as how you might have a complete wing of your own home constructed simply to retailer all of your J’s.

8️⃣ for 8.⁰⁰Impressed by the Retro Jordan 8, @TylerReddick begins the #NASCARPlayoffs Spherical of 8 within the Jordan Model No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD Professional. pic.twitter.com/lRTV3xWQLe

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) October 10, 2023

Marty: Sure, I’ve and I want that diecast for my workplace.

McGee: As quickly as I noticed it pop up on social media this week I mentioned, “Marty may attempt to put shoelaces on a few the diecasts and put on them on ‘Marty & McGee’ as curler skates.”

Marty: I am jealous of Tyler in lots of methods. I’ve an excellent relationship with that model, however mine’s not fairly pretty much as good as Tyler’s.

McGee: Again within the day, I bear in mind you’ll put on Jordans and other people would ask me, “Why is Marty carrying Jordans on the racetrack?” And now Michael Jordan is on the racetrack.

Marty: I used to be forward of my time.

McGee: And now we’re out time. Till subsequent time.