DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick arrive at Daytona International Speedway focused on the unknowns of NASCAR’s new superspeedway package, but both Toyota drivers already have one eye on a bigger challenge ahead: the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
The regular-season finale at Daytona marks the last hurdle before the championship chase begins at Darlington Raceway, where Hamlin and Reddick expect to be among the contenders for the title.
Hamlin acknowledged questions remain about how the new Daytona package will race, especially without practice, but believes the overall flow of the event will likely remain familiar.
“Probably,” Hamlin said when asked if practice would have been beneficial. “It would have been a decent learning experience, but I don’t think the fans miss out on anything. … Something from a learning standpoint, yeah, possibly.”
As for the race itself, Hamlin expects drivers’ comfort levels to determine how aggressively they compete.
“I think the intensity level of the actual race is going to be dependent on that comfort level,” he said.
While Daytona remains the immediate focus, both drivers repeatedly circled back to Darlington, which opens the postseason next weekend.
For Hamlin, the Southern 500 represents both an opportunity and a challenge.
“That’s a track where I’ve not been my best over the last couple races there,” Hamlin said. “So that’s the number one focus for me at the moment.”
Reddick, meanwhile, considers Darlington one of his strongest tracks.
“I love every lap of it,” Reddick said. “It’s fun trying to find ways to stay locked in for all 500 miles just right on the edge.”
The pair agreed the 500-mile race at Darlington is among the sport’s most physically and mentally demanding events.
Hamlin said preparation begins well before race day.
“I force feed myself more than what I feel like my stomach would want me to, because it’s going to be one where you’ll be drained at the end of it,” Hamlin said. “It’s probably the most physically demanding track.”
Reddick echoed those comments, emphasizing hydration and rest.
“A little extra sleep and hydration is key,” he said.
The impending playoff reset creates a balancing act for both drivers. While Hamlin and Reddick earned strong regular-season results, the postseason format compresses the field and gives contenders a fresh chance to challenge for the championship.
“All the points we’ve worked really hard for in the regular season, to an extent, kind of gets erased,” Reddick said. “It gives everyone that’s behind us the chance.”
Still, after a summer filled with setbacks, penalties and difficult recoveries, Reddick believes the No. 45 team enters the playoffs battle-tested.
“We had a lot of things, from mistakes and just wild things happening on the racetrack,” Reddick said. “I feel like when we get to the Chase and if there is anything that comes our way, we’re absolutely ready for it.”
Hamlin sees the reset as an opportunity every contender must embrace.
“The system is set up to allow those that are behind to catch up,” he said. “You’ve done really well during the regular season, but you’re going to have to find that little bit of extra notch that is required at this point in the year.”
One of the most intriguing playoff storylines is the relationship between Hamlin and Reddick themselves.
Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing, the organization that fields Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota, yet both drivers are expected to compete directly for the championship.
Rather than viewing that dynamic as a conflict, Hamlin believes it has strengthened both teams.
“What makes myself strong is I can use Tyler as an asset,” Hamlin said. “And for him, it’s what should I look for here or there.”
Hamlin credited that open exchange of information for helping keep both drivers near the top of the standings throughout much of the season.
“I think it’s the reason, for the bulk of the season, we were one-two,” he said. “You had two people that were comparing notes and getting better.”
When asked if Reddick could be his biggest competition for the championship, Hamlin didn’t hesitate.
“The way the tracks layout, probably,” Hamlin said. “I think our strengths are really his strengths.”
Reddick agreed the collaborative approach has benefited both sides.
“Yeah, exactly,” he said.
Before either can begin a championship run, however, Daytona remains the final assignment. With a new package, no practice and uncertainty surrounding how the draft will evolve, both drivers know the regular-season finale could be as unpredictable as any race on the schedule.
After that, the playoffs begin, and every contender starts chasing the same goal.
As Hamlin put it: “You just have to bring your best every playoff.”