While the main focus of everybody this weekend will rightfully be on the championship battle (or coronation, since everybody appears to be conceding the title to Jimmie Johnson), there are multiple storylines to follow during NASCAR's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
One I find intriguing is the one concerning Denny Hamlin.
Just one year removed from a magical freshman campaign, one that saw Hamlin finish an unexpected third in the standings, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet has come back down to earth.
Sure, it was incredible that he qualified for the championship deciding Chase for the Nextel Cup for the second consecutive season, but he has yet to produce (or to name drop the sponsor, deliver....) in the postseason. Since the Chase began at Loudon, Hamlin has scored a mere two Top-10 finishes while scoring three finishes of 25th or worse.
He has one last chance at redemption this weekend at Homestead though, where (ironically) he finished third last season as well. Not only does he have the motivation of ending the season on a high, but he also turns 27 on race day. And oh yea, it is also his last race in a Chevrolet before the Gibbs organization goes to Toyota in 2008.
Do you think Hamlin can turn it around, or will he continue his postseason slump?
Let us know your thoughts,
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