Denny Hamlin reveals Shane van Gisbergen 'conspiracy' theory

It’s the big NASCAR question everybody was asking after Watkins Glen - how do you beat Shane van Gisbergen on a Cup Series road course? Well, Denny Hamlin has a theory - a conspiracy.

The 36-year-old from New Zealand was peerless again during Sunday's race at Watkins Glen, dominating the latter stages of the action and coming home more than 11 seconds clear of his nearest rival, Christopher Bell.

That makes four straight road course wins in 2025 for the Kiwi, with Cup Series rival Michael McDowell claiming some drivers are now admitting defeat before races even begin.

The great Denny Hamlin is not one of them - he has 58 race wins to his name after all - but even he admits it is going to take something pretty outrageous to lower SVG’s colours on a road course. That probably means a mistake by somebody else.

READ MORE: NASCAR confirm veteran driver OUT of Richmond race

Conspiracy needed to beat SvG

“There’s gonna be a race that something happens that’s gonna take him out. Like, he got taken out of Chicago. Remember in the wet? Somebody made a mistake,” Hamlin argued on his Actions Detrimental podcast.

“He definitely is able to be vulnerable to someone else making a mistake. He’s not going to make it on his own.

"It’s going to be into Turn 1. Somebody ping-pongs into someone else, and it knocks him into Shane after he just pitted. Like, that’s what we need.

"We need a conspiracy," Hamlin concluded whilst laughing.

Van Gisbergen is a lock for the Cup Series playoffs after his astonishing road course win streak, but can he make it deep into the postseason?

Hamlin said: “It’s 50/50, do I have to make a decision? Does he make the round of 8? No.

"That’s my decision and I think it’s 49/51% and I went with the 51%.

“I think he very easily could, or he’s gotta get unlucky at some point on these road courses. Just unlucky - not unskilled, not unfast. Unlucky.” READ MORE: Denny Hamlin reveals major doubts about NASCAR star's future

Related