Denny Hamlin
In NASCAR, there really isn’t any clear-cut age when you start declining in skill. I think once you aren’t getting the results you were getting three to four years ago, then you start considering retirement. The evidence is in history: Ned Jarrett retired at the age of 34, David Ragan at 33, Mark Martin at 54 and Richard Petty at 55.
This was the situation for Denny Hamlin. The 39-year-old is right in the middle of all those guys mentioned above who retired. And the numbers were starting to form the word “retirement”. 2018 was disappointing to say the least with no wins for the first time in his career.
The years before 2018 did not convey a championship-caliber season for Hamlin, but they were still average for him, featuring a couple wins here and there for a consistent top 10 driver.
2019 was a total comeback year, bringing him back in the conversation of top dog in NASCAR after six wins and a spot in the Championship 4. This season might have been a career resurgence for Hamlin. In Fantasy Live, he placed fifth, scoring 1,273 points.
If this is a sign of things to come for Hamlin, then keep a sharp eye on him; you never know when a good season or a bad season will show up.