Veteran driver Denny Hamlin is certain to be crowned the king of NASCAR this season following his dramatic Las Vegas win.

And that is the official insight from a man who gets to see Hamlin up close and personal on the track and in the pits on a daily basis. Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, is a great asset to the sport’s line-up as he draws such mixed reactions from fans.

23XI Racing star Riley Herbst is confident that current leader Hamlin is on course to win his debut championship. Herbst opened up about the race world during an exclusive fans meet and greet at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar in Las Vegas.

Hamlin etched his name deeper into the NASCAR history books at Las Vegas, capturing his 60th career NASCAR Cup Series victory in dramatic fashion in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The milestone win not only secured Hamlin’s place among the sport’s elite but also punched his ticket to the Championship 4 finale in Phoenix.

Herbst believes that increasing the horsepower of engines, raised from 670 to 750 in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026, will make “better racing.”

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The Las Vegas-raised star, who drives the No. 35 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE for 23XI Racing, hopes that during his career, cars will be allowed to race with 1000 hp vehicles. A third-generation racer Herbst said of Hamlin: “Denny’s going to win the title this year. The 11 is going to win the championship this year, so we’re pulling for him on the Toyota camp, and hopefully Denny can win his first championship. And hopefully we can all be a part of it.”

Hamlin, whose best season was as runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the 2010 championship standings, is on a hot streak, winning at World Wide Technology Raceway in September 2025 and becoming the seventh driver to win multiple Cup races after his 700th start in 2025. Herbst added: “Denny’s a really good race car driver on the cusp of his first championship, so there’s a lot of optics to it, but he’s a championship-caliber driver. So hopefully he can get the trophy this year and put all of that to rest.”

Hamlin, who admitted that 2027 will be his retirement year, revels in fans having mixed feelings on him. Herbst added: “He is a huge character, so either people love him or hate him. And he embraces that and it’s cool to see him rise to the top and challenge each week for the win.”

Away from the track, three time Daytona winner Hamlin is a very hands-on owner and mentor to Herbst along with fellow team owner – NBA great Michael Jordan. Herbst noted: “Denny and Michael are very heavily involved in our race team and supporting us to do the best we can. So it’s cool to have such dynamic and large figures as your owner with both Michael and Denny. So it’s a really neat atmosphere over at 23XI and it’s a great place to be. Both Denny and Michael are very hands-on, very immersed in day-to-day operations and trying to get us towards the front.”

Currently 23XI Racing is suing NASCAR over antitrust claims regarding the charter system. A charter is the equivalent of a franchise and guarantees chartered cars both a spot in the 40-car field each week, as well as a significantly larger chunk of payouts. Herbst keeps out of the legal dramas and is focused on his driving. He said: “I don’t really focus on the lawsuits. I don’t know much. I’m not a lawyer. I just kind of drive the race cars as fast as I can and see what happens.”

Another huge talking point for fans and drivers is the horsepower increase from next year. Herbst is excited to push higher speeds, but also wants more power in future. He said: “The increase of horsepower is a step in the right direction. Us drivers, we want more, we want a thousand horsepower back, but it’s a good step in the right direction and we’re excited to see how it changes the racing and the ways for the better.

“The big winner is the fans. Hopefully it puts on better racing and a better show for sure. We’re all waiting for it. We haven’t driven it yet, so the first time we’re going to drive it is next year, so it’s going to be a big unknown to see who comes out on top with the more horsepower.”

Teams are already milling over the practical issues of the power boost on cars and parts. Herbst noted while it was unlikely to “change day to day battles… It wears the tires more, so hopefully it creates better racing and for all of us drivers to take advantage of it.”

Crowds packed Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar, famed for its Southern dining, to catch the action at the recent Vegas NASCAR events. The Vegas race was shown on screens across the two floors of the 22,500 square feet two-story venue in between live bands delivering rock and country tracks. Aldean’s hot spot has a Tractor Bar, showcasing a vintage John Deere tractor as a nod to Aldean’s hit Big Green Tractor.