Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed who he believes will become the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion. The retired driver and current analyst dropped his prediction on the most recent episode of his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast.
After Denny Hamlin recorded his first victory of the 2026 season this past Sunday at Las Vegas, Earnhardt has made it clear who he believes will be hoisting the Cup Series championship trophy at season’s end.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. predicts Denny Hamlin will win the 2026 NASCAR Cup title
Earnhardt Jr. and his Dirty Mo Media team recorded the most recent episode of his podcast on Tuesday.
As they recapped this past Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas, the owner of JR Motorsports believes Hamlin will continue to ride the momentum of the win all the way to the end of the season.
“Denny Hamlin is my pick for the championship this year,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
The former driver of the No. 88 went on to say Hamlin’s post-race interview sounded like something he’s heard before.
Earnhardt Jr. noted that Hamlin often says he is not as talented as some of the sport’s top drivers and has to work extensively to be competitive.
While Earnhardt Jr. believes Hamlin is working hard, the 51-year-old said that the driver of the No. 11 is more talented than he realizes.
“I do believe he’s as good as some of these guys. I think he’s better than, quite possibly, a Cale Yarborough, some of those big names he’s looked up to,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Hamlin broke the tie with Kevin Harvick for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list with his victory on Sunday. It was the 61st of the 45-year-old’s career, putting him two wins behind Kyle Busch on the all-time list.
Hamlin also became the fifth driver in NASCAR history to win at least one race in 20 different seasons. He joined Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon on that list.
Despite all the achievements, Hamlin is still seeking his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Dale Jr. believes Hamlin could be on NASCAR’s Mount Rushmore in a few years
Amid his 21st full-time season of NASCAR competition, Hamlin is not slowing down.
Earnhardt Jr. pointed out that many drivers quit being competitive towards the end of their careers. However, that has not been the case with the Virginia native as he continues to be a contender for wins and championships.
“There are anomalies in our history of drivers who didn’t fall off. A lot of guys tend to fall off around the same time frame in those early 40s, mid 40s. They’re toast, and he’s not doing that. He’s an anomaly.”
As great as Hamlin is, Earnhardt Jr. believes one could argue for him to be recognized among the greats on NASCAR’s “Mount Rushmore” of drivers.
“A couple more years, you might put him on the Mount Rushmore. I do believe, talent wise, he ranks way higher than he wants to admit,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Following Sunday’s victory, Hamlin now sits fourth in the points standings. He enters Darlington this Sunday as the defending winner of the Goodyear 400.
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