Denny Hamlin vs. Jimmie Johnson: Who Has the Upper Hand?

Five races to go in the chase.  Jimmie Johnson leads once again but this time is only 41 points ahead of his closest purser Denny Hamlin and 77 points ahead of 3rd place Kevin Harvick.  But for all intensive purposes one must believe it will come down to Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin battling it out.  Let's compare stats and see who has the upper hand in this fight

Martinsville

Hamlin winning another race at his home track

Since Denny Hamlin has been in cup he has battled Jimmie Johnson for wins at Martinsville.  Both have amazing stats there.  In 17 starts Johnson has 6 wins, 12 top fives, 16 top tens, 1,551 laps led, and an average finish of 5.35.

In 10 starts at the paper Clip Hamlin has 3 wins, 7 top fives, 9 top tens, 909 laps led, and an average finish of 6.60.

Hamlin has won the last two races at Martinsville and has led the most laps in the last 3.  If not for Johnson giving him a bump in that particular race he could be going for 3 in a row on Sunday.

Upper Hand:Denny Hamlin

Talladega

One of Johnson's seven dnfs at Talladega

Talladega is a lottery you never know what the results will show.  Both Johnson and Hamlin have had good and bad days at Talladega.

Johnson has 1 win, 4 top fives, 7 top tens, 201 laps led, and an average finish of 17.82.

Hamlin has 3 top fives, 3 top tens, 192 laps led, and an average finish of 19.33.

Johnson however has seven dnfs here including 2 in the last 3 races.

Upper Hand:Slightly Denny Hamlin

Texas

Denny Hamlin wins at Texas

Texas has been good to both Johnson and Hamlin in the past as they finished 1-2 in the Spring

Johnson has 1 win, 7 top fives, 10 top tens , 117 laps , and an average finish of 10.14

Hamlin has 1 win, 4 top fives, 7 top tens, 100 laps led, and an average finish of 9.60.

Both have been great here and it is close but with Hamlin's slightly better finish and win in the Spring...

Upper Hand:Denny Hamlin.

Phoenix

Jimmie Johnson winning his 4th race at Phoenix

There is no real debate on who has the upper hand going into Phoenix

Johnson has 4 wins, 9 top fives, 12 top tens, 857 laps led and an average finish of 4.93 which makes it his best track in the series.

Hamlin has done well here 5 top fives, 6 top tens, 93 laps led, and an average finish of 11.60.

Upper Hand:Jimmie Johnson

Homestead

Denny Hamlin win at Homestead seprates him from Jimmie Johnson

Homestead is where the championship battle will conclude. 

Johnson has done well at Homestead with 3 top fives, 6 top tens, 71 laps led, and an average finish of 12.67

Hamlin has done even better with 1 win, 3 top fives, 3 top tens , 91 laps led and an average finish of 10.60.

Hamlin having a win at a place that Johnson does not is huge.  That is something the 48 will be thinking about going into that race.

Upper Hand:Denny Hamlin

The Chase Has Just Begun

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 11: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, performs a burnout to celebrate winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 11, 2010 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by

Five races down and five races to go.  Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin are ready to battle for this championship.  Will Johnson grab his 5th straight upsetting most fans, Hamlin getting his 1st getting fans to rejoice or perhaps Kevin Harvick comes out of no where to win the championship?

This will be a championship battle that will go down to the wire but one must say that Denny Hamlin has the upper hand