Denny Hamlin Breaks Curse After Three-Peat Win at Pocono

Three wins in a row for the first time ever in his NASCARCup Series career, a record 8th win at Pocono - Denny Hamlin is on a heater. Things are going so well for Hamlin, that he even overcame the King's Hawaiian curse that has plagued his team for the last couple of seasons.

There are some paint schemes that just don't work for some drivers. Since King's Hawaiian joined the No. 11 team, it had been nothing but bad luck and close calls for the orange car. This week, the Minions brought a little extra luck it seems.

The King's Hawaiian curse is so real, Denny Hamlin brought it up in his post-race interview.

"No doubt. First win here. Just so special here," Hamlin said to Marty Snider on the frontstretch. "I just um, you know, Pocono has mastered the fan experience. From the crowd in the stands to the infield here, Nick and his whole team has just done an amazing job. I gotta say, awesome for the King's Hawaiian car, finally, the King's Hawaiian curse is over.

"You know, they thought my head was getting a little big, so they made me wear this suit this week to put me back to where I need to be. So, I'm just so happy for this whole Joe Gibbs Racing team. They just, this is a team effort. Giving me the fast cars, the pit crew's flawless right now. We just got it all going."

So, curse broken. Three wins in a row. 64 career wins, 51 career pole awards. What more does Denny Hamlin have to do to prove he's one of the best of all time? For many fans, a championship would validate it all at the end of the season.

At Pocono Raceway, Hamlin is quite a popular guy. He has the most wins all-time at the track, and it just keeps growing. If it still had two dates on the schedule, his win total might be even greater.

"I mean, thank you," Hamlin said as the crowd cheered for him again. "Thank you. It really means a lot, seriously, thanks so much for that. Man, it's like a second home for me."

45-years-old and Denny Hamlin is at the top of his game. 21 seasons into his NASCAR Cup Series career, and Hamlin has never looked better.

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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 2:04 PM.