Denny Hamlin Already Looking Toward 2011

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Only 25 laps into Sunday's Ford 400 NASCAR season finale, Denny Hamlin realized his day was going to be long, and his hopes of holding off his two championship challengers diminished as the hot South Florida afternoon wore on.

When the green flag dropped, his 15-point championship lead over four-time defending Sprint Cup series champ Jimmie Johnson technically vanished, based on Hamlin's 38th-place starting position compared to Johnson's sixth.

Then on lap 25, Hamlin collided with Greg Biffle, sending Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Toyota spinning on the infield grass -- an omen for what would come. Tire problems, pit road miscommunication and then an ill-timed caution period late in the race spelled his ultimate doom. The 30-year-old driver finished 14th in the race and became the first driver in NASCAR's seven-year Chase playoff format not to win the title when leading the championship with one race remaining.

"It's tough, trust me, these years don't come by too often in anyone's career,'' said Hamlin, who finished championship runner-up, 39 points behind the newly crowned five-time champion Johnson.

"I was privileged enough to be part of the closest championship in (Chase) history and give it my best effort, but it wasn't enough today. Our car got banged up and we just couldn't overcome it.''

A week ago at Phoenix, Hamlin had proven himself the class of the field only to have to pit for fuel late in the race and allow both Johnson and Kevin Harvick to pull within 15 and 46 points, respectively, entering the final race. When he climbed out of his car, Hamlin threw a water bottle in frustration and called out his crew for a failed fuel strategy.

When Hamlin emerged from his car Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he was more subdued, calm, almost resigned.

"I'll be honest with you, I was not nervous at any point until about an hour before the race,'' Hamlin said. "That's really when it kind of hit me.

"You know, it's so many turning points in this Chase where it can go one way or the other or in anybody's favor. Just think about all of the situations you wish you could go back and change; right now it's more thinking about that. And yeah, relieved that it is over.

"I'm definitely disappointed for sure. But this is fuel for me. This is gonna fuel me in the off-season to try and get better. That's what I'll do, is get better.''