{"id":897512,"date":"2026-04-07T10:22:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/07\/mark-martin-impressed-by-denny-hamlins-nascar-aging-curve\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T10:22:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:22:51","slug":"mark-martin-impressed-by-denny-hamlins-nascar-aging-curve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/07\/mark-martin-impressed-by-denny-hamlins-nascar-aging-curve\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Martin impressed by Denny Hamlin&#8217;s NASCAR aging curve"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-position=\"embed\" data-series=\"nascar-cup\" data-autoplay=\"0\" data-mute=\"0\">\n<p>Mark Martin is rooting for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/driver\/denny-hamlin\/6539\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Denny Hamlin<\/a> right now because he knows how hard it is to defy the odds and overcome Father Time when he starts working against a high level athlete.<\/p>\n<p>The 2017 Hall of Fame inductee says he was first drawn to Hamlin because he\u2019s started to see something of a baby face turn from a driver that was long established as something of a heel, and he lived that when he watched Darrell Waltrip become the same thing in the late 80s and early 90s.<\/p>\n<p>But Martin also was winning Cup races through his 50th birthday in 2009 and really appreciates what Hamlin is starting to do right now at 45.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo many people have changed the way they feel about him and he&#8217;s one of the greatest drivers ever,\u201d Martin said on Tuesday during a media availability at NASCAR Productions. \u201cI don\u2019t care what car he drove, you look at his numbers and it\u2019s some of the greatest ever, and I appreciate that he can win a race at 45 because most winners can\u2019t win races at 45.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s pretty damn cool. When he said after the race that he\u2019s working hard, I believe it because I think it\u2019s harder now to win at 50 than it was when I did it and it was hard then.\u201d<\/p>\n<section draggable=\"true\" data-widget=\"related-content\" data-widget-size=\"content\" data-params=\"%7B%22type_id%22%3A0%2C%22title_id%22%3A%220_0%22%2C%22items%22%3A%5B%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%2210805709%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Denny%20Hamlin%2C%20'the%20old%20dog%2C'%20is%20still%20hunting%20with%20Vegas%20win%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22denny-hamlin-the-old-dog-is-still-hunting-with-vegas-win%22%2C%22front_url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorsport.com%2Fnascar-cup%2Fnews%2Fdenny-hamlin-the-old-dog-is-still-hunting-with-vegas-win%2F10805709%2F%22%2C%22series%22%3A%22NASCAR%20Cup%22%2C%22photo%22%3A%22%2F%2Fcdn.motorsport.com%2Fimages%2Famp%2F0Ld53dN0%2Fs2%2Fdenny-hamlin-joe-gibbs-racing.jpg%22%7D%5D%7D\" contenteditable=\"false\"><span>Read Also:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/nascar-cup\/news\/denny-hamlin-the-old-dog-is-still-hunting-with-vegas-win\/10805709\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn.motorsport.com\/images\/amp\/0Ld53dN0\/s2\/denny-hamlin-joe-gibbs-racing.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"160\" height=\"107\">\n<p><span>NASCAR Cup<\/span><span>Denny Hamlin, &#8216;the old dog,&#8217; is still hunting with Vegas win<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p>So, with all of that said, what does Martin think Hamlin needs to be most prepared for as he continues to age while still seeking wins and an elusive championship that evaded them both over their careers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, I still had speed,\u201d Martin said. \u201cAt 54, I sat on the pole at Phoenix and I was running (with Rodney Childers) and it was not a slow car, it was rocket fast, but my race craft had been suffering for years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This next part is a metaphor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve got a 15-year-old iPad and it was fast when I got it but now it\u2019s so slow that it\u2019 unusable. That same thing happens to your processor. I don\u2019t know it happens differently for different people but I knew it. I could feel the difference in 2009 from 1989 even though I was winning races and still had great race craft.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still could tell and by 2013, it was blatantly obvious to me, even if it wasn\u2019t to you because I had lived in this world of such heightened senses. I drove a race car off of what I felt, not what I saw, and when you process all of that stuff, I&#8217;m sorry it just slows down and it&#8217;s slower now, because my processor is even slower now than it was in 2013.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So what Martin did is also what Hamlin has done in recent years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI stayed incredibly fit,\u201d he said. \u201cI kept the desire to win. That\u2019s the only reason I took Rick Hendrick\u2019s third attempt to hire me for the 5 car because I almost won twice in the (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) 8 car and had the car to beat at Phoenix and Pocono when we had to pit for fuel, so I could taste it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to feel that one more time because it\u2019s euphoric and I can\u2019t describe it to you what it feels like to win or what it felt like to me but I knew after the last one that I would never experience that again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way Denny looks, he could go another five years, and I know he probably won\u2019t but it\u2019s just harder now. Look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/driver\/kevin-harvick\/360\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kevin Harvick<\/a>. It\u2019s just harder when you get in your 40s, your mid-40s, and he\u2019s one of the greatest to ever do it too. There are exceptions to this and Denny Hamlin is the exception right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<section draggable=\"true\" data-widget=\"related-content\" data-widget-size=\"content\" data-params=\"%7B%22type_id%22%3A0%2C%22title_id%22%3A%220_0%22%2C%22items%22%3A%5B%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%2210806147%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Why%20Ross%20Chastain%20just%20doesn't%20get%20along%20with%20Daniel%20Suarez%20%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22why-ross-chastain-just-doesnt-get-along-with-daniel-suarez-%22%2C%22front_url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorsport.com%2Fnascar-cup%2Fnews%2Fwhy-ross-chastain-just-doesnt-get-along-with-daniel-suarez-%2F10806147%2F%22%2C%22series%22%3A%22NASCAR%20Cup%22%2C%22photo%22%3A%22%2F%2Fcdn.motorsport.com%2Fimages%2Famp%2FYXypjgP6%2Fs2%2Fdaniel-suarez-left-and-ross-ch.jpg%22%7D%2C%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%2210806133%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Alex%20Bowman%20to%20miss%20at%20least%20the%20next%20three%20NASCAR%20Cup%20races%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22alex-bowman-to-miss-at-least-the-next-three-nascar-cup-races%22%2C%22front_url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorsport.com%2Fnascar-cup%2Fnews%2Falex-bowman-to-miss-at-least-the-next-three-nascar-cup-races%2F10806133%2F%22%2C%22series%22%3A%22NASCAR%20Cup%22%2C%22photo%22%3A%22%2F%2Fcdn.motorsport.com%2Fimages%2Famp%2FYEQRvrpY%2Fs2%2Falex-bowman-hendrick-motorspor.jpg%22%7D%2C%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%2210805910%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Joe%20Gibbs%20Racing%2C%20Chris%20Gabehart%20granted%20expedited%20discovery%20in%20court%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22joe-gibbs-racing-chris-gabehart-granted-expedited-discovery-in-court%22%2C%22front_url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorsport.com%2Fnascar-cup%2Fnews%2Fjoe-gibbs-racing-chris-gabehart-granted-expedited-discovery-in-court%2F10805910%2F%22%2C%22series%22%3A%22NASCAR%20Cup%22%2C%22photo%22%3A%22%2F%2Fcdn.motorsport.com%2Fimages%2Famp%2F2y7Arlg6%2Fs2%2Fclt-courthouse-0.jpg%22%7D%5D%7D\" contenteditable=\"false\"><span>Read Also:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/nascar-cup\/news\/why-ross-chastain-just-doesnt-get-along-with-daniel-suarez-\/10806147\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn.motorsport.com\/images\/amp\/YXypjgP6\/s2\/daniel-suarez-left-and-ross-ch.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"160\" height=\"107\">\n<p><span>NASCAR Cup<\/span><span>Why Ross Chastain just doesn&#8217;t get along with Daniel Suarez <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/nascar-cup\/news\/alex-bowman-to-miss-at-least-the-next-three-nascar-cup-races\/10806133\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn.motorsport.com\/images\/amp\/YEQRvrpY\/s2\/alex-bowman-hendrick-motorspor.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"160\" height=\"107\">\n<p><span>NASCAR Cup<\/span><span>Alex Bowman to miss at least the next three NASCAR Cup races<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/nascar-cup\/news\/joe-gibbs-racing-chris-gabehart-granted-expedited-discovery-in-court\/10805910\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cdn.motorsport.com\/images\/amp\/2y7Arlg6\/s2\/clt-courthouse-0.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"160\" height=\"107\">\n<p><span>NASCAR Cup<\/span><span>Joe Gibbs Racing, Chris Gabehart granted expedited discovery in court<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p><msnt-survey-promo><\/p>\n<h2>\n<p>            <span>We want your opinion!<\/span><br \/>\n        <\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/#\">Take our 5 minute survey.<\/a>\n        <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8211; The Motorsport.com Team<\/p>\n<p><\/msnt-survey-promo><\/p><\/div>\n<p> Augustine Pekar<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.motorsport.com\/nascar-cup\/news\/mark-martin-impressed-by-denny-hamlins-nascar-aging-curve-\/10806155\/?utm_source=RSS&#038;utm_medium=referral&#038;utm_campaign=RSS-ALL&#038;utm_term=News&#038;utm_content=www\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mark Martin is rooting for Denny Hamlin right now because he knows how hard it is to defy the odds and overcome Father Time when he starts working against a high level athlete. The 2017 Hall of Fame inductee says he was first drawn to Hamlin because he\u2019s started to see something of a baby<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":897513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36099,953],"tags":[21777,8043],"class_list":{"0":"post-897512","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-impressed","8":"category-martin","9":"tag-impressed","10":"tag-martin"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=897512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/897512\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/897513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=897512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=897512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=897512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}