Analysis: Does Denny Hamlin still need to win a championship?

The question dogging Denny Hamlin for virtually the entirety of his NASCAR career — When will he finally win the Cup Series championship? — has been surprisingly supplanted by another.Why does it even matter if he does?Considering the notion now might seem odd.Hamlin will enter the 2026 Chase presented by Mobil 1 as the top seed and the unquestioned title favorite.With the demise of the elimination playoffs that denied him the grand prize several times (most cruelly last year, when h