Hamlin was already worried
Saturday, Sep. 04, 2010
HAMPTON, Ga. – Denny Hamlin says his biggest obstacle in trying to win a Cup championship isn't another NASCAR team.
Apparently he believes it is within his own.
"Reliability is the thing we really need to work on," Hamlin said Saturday. "Our speed could be better and we took a right step this weekend. I feel like we gained some of that back.
"Reliability. It's taken us out of the last three Chases, not being reliable. You have to have it to be champion."
Hamlin has finished 12th, eighth and fifth among Chase competitors the last three seasons. In those 30 playoff races, he had two engine failures and a handful of other issues that affected his performance.
This season, Hamlin has five wins and stands to be no worse than the No. 2 seed to start the Chase. He and Jimmie Johnson are tied in the win column with two races left before the field is set for the 10-race championship.
Hamlin was asked if there was anything he could do to increase his team's reliability this season.
"It all goes back to what happens inside that shop and making sure the parts and pieces are right on the car before it comes to the track," he said.
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