Hamlin maturing into title contender ... for next year

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- The post-race news conference for the winning team following Sunday's Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway had been in progress for several minutes when a minor glitch occurred.

A question was posed to winning driver Denny Hamlin, who admitted he was caught off guard.

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Denny Hamlin discusses his win at Martinsville, his outlook on the season and how the Chase can dampen a win.

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"I'm sorry. I was watching football highlights. Could you repeat the question?" said a smiling Hamlin, gesturing toward a television monitor in the corner of the media center that was indeed displaying NFL highlights at the moment.

"Don't worry," interjected Mike Ford, the crew chief for Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota. "I was paying attention. I'll take the question."

It was an understandable and totally excusable lapse in concentration for Hamlin, who after all had just spent the last four hours strapped in a 3,450-pound race car negotiating the tight, .525-mile paperclip that is Martinsville. But it did provide yet another example that Ford always has his back.

These two have reached a level of understanding and communication and commitment to each other that is reserved for the better tandems in the Sprint Cup garage. With three race wins now this season, and despite struggles in the previous two races that took them out of contention in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, they now have proven they belong amongst that elite group.

"I think time is the biggest thing that we've got together, and communication gets better each year," said Ford, now in his fourth full season with Hamlin.

The problem

The problem is, because of the aforementioned problems that removed them from the title Chase and because of the dominating nature of the Chase itself these days, how many folks actually will notice?

"Good point," Hamlin said with a chuckle once he had refocused on the interview at hand. "It really is a good point, without a doubt.

"I mean, everyone just talks about [the Chase] -- and you know, I'm sure on the Web sites, there will be 12 stories and there will be one about how much this guy lost to Jimmie [Johnson], how much that guy lost to Jimmie, how much Jimmie gained or stretched his points lead. There will be at least three or four stories like that. And then mine will be in that little column down in the corner, where it says, 'Denny Hamlin wins at Martinsville for the second time.'"

Editor's Note: Case in point:
• Even when he doesn't win, Johnson gains on the rest (Continued)