Hamlin was in a perilous position as must-win drivers including Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney made their way into the fight for the win at Martinsville.
If one of the above mentioned (or William Byron) won the race, Hamlin was going to need to make it into the Championship 4 on points. In order to do that, he needed to outscore rival Chastain in the standings. Thanks to winning both stages, he was in a very strong position to do so.
