CREW CHIEF: Chris Gabehart
TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing
POINTS: Fifth in Cup Series
WINS: Three (Kansas I, Pocono, Bristol Night Race)
LAPS LED: 998
TOP 5s: 14
TOP 10s: 19
STARTS FROM POLE: Four (Talladega I, Sonoma, Chicago, Watkins Glen)
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Hamlin reached 51 career wins in 2023. He passed Tony Stewart (49 wins), Junior Johnson (50) and Ned Jarrett (50) to move into 13th place on the all-time Cup wins list. Hamlin is only nine wins away from his stated goal of 60.
Hamlin won for the seventh time at Pocono. This set a new track record.
Hamlin scored seven top-10 finishes, five top fives and one win in the 10 playoff races. This gave him an average finish of 12.4. He ultimately ended the season fifth in points, marking the fifth consecutive season he was fifth or better in points.
WHAT WENT WRONG: NASCAR penalized Hamlin for wrecking Ross Chastain on the final lap of the spring Phoenix race. He lost $50,000 and 25 driver points.
While Hamlin only had three finishes of 25th or worse during the playoffs, one took place during the Round of 8. A power steering failure at Homestead sent him into the outside wall from third place and ended his day.
Hamlin fell to 17 points below the cutline heading to the elimination race at Martinsville. Ryan Blaney won his way into the Championship 4 while William Byron pointed his way in. Hamlin failed to advance.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024: Hamlin is back at Joe Gibbs Racing. His status for the Feb. 4 Busch Light Clash is in doubt due to his recovery from right shoulder surgery. After that, he should be back in the No. 11 as he seeks his fourth Daytona 500 win since 2016. Hamlin enters the season at 43 years old but will continue to contend for wins on a regular basis. His goal is winning the championship, something that remains possible.
