Denny Hamlin is putting his prediction out there for how the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs will shake out.
While future Legacy Motor Club wheelman John Hunter Nemechek currently leads the field, there’s a myriad of drivers who could hoist the trophy at the end of the season. With a little less than two months remaining in the season, Hamlin highlighted some drivers who etch their name in the record book.
“I’d say based on speed, you’re going to have the No. 20 (John Hunter Nemechek), the No. 7 (Justin Allgaier), the No. 21 (Austin Hill), maybe in there ,” Hamlin predicted, via his Actions Detrimental podcast. “If we’re doing this off of speed, I think there’s a clear-cut four. You’ve got the No. 7 of Allgaier, the No. 20 of Nemechek, the No. 21 of Hill and the No. 00 of Custer. I think that those guys stand apart, as far as consistently being the fastest in the series.
“Now, you have others, such as you’ll have Sam Mayer have some weeks where he shows flashes, and he’ll be the fastest JRM car, or the fastest car on the track. Josh Berry, not as much, but still, he has certain race tracks that fit his style really well. I think they probably run Martinsville, which will be a great track for him, with an opportunity to get into the Final Four. Those are the next guys in, in my instant thoughts.”
While Hamlin has his favorites as the Xfinity Series looks to crown their champion, he relented that it’s always unpredictable, and compared it to Martin Truex Jr.’s struggles over the last two weeks, as well.
“It never goes chalk. It never goes how you think it is,” Hamlin added. “I asked on this episode a few weeks ago, when it comes to the Cup playoffs, who in the top eight is not going to make it? Zero said Martin Truex. Now, he could go out there and run really well at Bristol and put himself above, but you just never know. Like, it never goes as planned, because this is such a small sample size of playoffs.
“You know, these three-race cut-offs, that you just never know. It just takes two bad weeks, and you’re out.”
Alas, it remains to be seen if Denny Hamlin hits on his prediction, but it’ll be fascinating to watch how the Xfinity Series shakes out over the rest of the season. You can bet chaos is just waiting to ensue, as it usually does in NASCAR.