Larson has dominated the year - he accounts for nine of the 17 wins among the final four drivers - but the elimination format playoffs that NASCAR introduced in 2014 has made the actual championship winner a crapshoot. Hamlin led the Cup standings for 22 consecutive weeks but lost the regular-season championship to Larson over the final three weeks. “Don’t poke the bear,” Hamlinposted on social media after Martinsville. Hamlin, loser in three previous championship battles, took an aggressive approach as soon as Bowman tried to celebrate a Martinsville victory Hamlin felt had been taken from him. Gibbs in head-to-head competition, but four drivers will be individually racing for NASCAR’s top prize. I might not sleep at all, that’s how concerned I am,” Elliott said.

“I’m going to lose so much sleep tonight. They don’t think straightly,” Hamlin said of the crowd.Įlliott, the first driver in at least a decade to go toe-to-toe and door-to-door with Kevin Harvick and come out on top, laughed at Hamlin’s verbal jab. Hamlin blamed the backlash on NASCAR’s most popular driver. When he later drove his car to the frontstretch to prevent a Bowman victory celebration - Hamlin flipped both middle fingers at Bowman through his windshield - the crowd drowned out his interview over the public address systemwith resounding boos. Hamlin, a Virginia native and five-time Martinsville winner, was spun from the lead by Bowman to the surprise pleasure of what should have been Hamlin’s home crowd. Hendrick will be the favorite behind nine-race winner Larson and its on-track domination this season: Alex Bowman’s win Sunday at Martinsville Speedwaywas the fourth in a row for Hendrick and 16th through 35 races.īut Bowman’s win triggered tension that should carry through the week and into Sunday’s finale. It is a winner-take-all conclusion at sold-out Phoenix, where Elliott’s victory a year ago clinched the first Cup championship for NASCAR’s most popular driver.

Nexstar tx driver download