Hamlin works his way into NASCAR Chase mix

Three months ago, Denny Hamlin appeared destined for a season of misery in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series.

Now, he’s among the strongest contenders for stock-car racing’s premier championship in only his second year on the circuit.

Hamlin, 26, is third in points and has secured a spot among the 12 drivers who will compete in the Chase for the Cup, the series’ 10-race playoff for the title.

He will try to earn bonus points for the Chase by winning today’s Sharp Aquos 500 at the two-mile California Speedway in Fontana, where he starts ninth in his No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet.

The race starts at 5 p.m. on what is forecast to be yet another day of triple-digit temperatures in Southern California, but the 250-lap event will finish under the lights.

Kurt Busch of Penske Racing South starts on the pole in a Dodge, with reigning champion Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports next to him on the front row in a Chevy.

Much of the Chase talk lately has centered on points leader and four-time champ Jeff Gordon, second-place Tony Stewart -- Hamlin’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing -- and the duel between Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the 12th and final spot in the Chase.

Hamlin, meanwhile, has been consistently strong in the last two months, although last year’s rookie of the year had a rare last-place finish a week ago in Bristol, Tenn., because of engine failure.

Through the first 24 races, Hamlin has 10 top-five finishes, including a win in July at New Hampshire International Speedway. And that track plays host to the opening race of the Chase on Sept. 16, after today’s race and next week’s event at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

“I feel like we’re flying under the radar a little bit,” Hamlin said. “We’re making noise but doing it in our own kind of way. Even though we had a hiccup last week, we’re going to be a team that’s very tough to beat.”

After his stellar rookie year, Hamlin had a rocky start in the first half of this season, as did Stewart, a two-time Cup champion.

They dominated several races but couldn’t get to Victory Lane. One was the spring race at Phoenix in April, where Hamlin -- a native of Chesterfield, Va. -- hoped to win as a tribute to the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre that month. But he finished third.

Hamlin finally won in New Hampshire in early July. But a week later, Stewart ran into the back of Hamlin while the two were leading at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, causing both cars to crash.

Stewart blamed Hamlin, but Hamlin -- refusing to roll over in the face of criticism by his more experienced teammate -- said he didn’t appreciate Stewart’s remarks.

The sniping forced owner Gibbs to interrupt his vacation to meet with his drivers and broker a truce. It paid off.

Stewart won three of the next four races, Hamlin continued to run well and, according to Hamlin, the teammates developed a better respect for each other.

“We kept a lot of things bottled up inside,” Hamlin said, referring to disputes about how each treated the other on the track. Off the track they were fine, he said.

“There were things he did that really got on my nerves, things I did that really got on his nerves, we never really told each other,” he said.

“Then when we finally had an incident together [at Daytona], we were able to clear the air,” Hamlin said. “We needed something like that to happen to make us stronger teammates. Now we aren’t afraid to talk to each other.”

Stewart is known for his outspoken nature and often brash remarks. But Hamlin too often wears his emotions on his sleeve, including frustration and disappointment, and now isn’t afraid to speak out like a veteran.

Hamlin said Stewart has “always been the leader at Gibbs Racing. I think when we came in there and started running well, I don’t think he was threatened, but he felt that competitive nature.”

As a rookie, “you need to sit back and learn,” Hamlin said. “I feel like I did that the first part of last season. That gave me the confidence that I do belong in this sport.”

Now, Hamlin added, “I definitely feel like, when I go into the garage, the veterans are looking at us as one to try to beat.”

Before arriving in Fontana last week, Hamlin visited Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles. He signed autographs, posed for pictures and raced miniature race cars with several of the seriously ill children.

The hospital also had a contest among the kids to design the paint scheme for Hamlin’s helmet, won by 8-year-old Angelica Ramirez of Glendale. He will wear the rainbow-colored helmet in today’s race.

Such visits are “part of my job that I enjoy,” he said. “You can see how excited the kids get just seeing your face. That means a lot to me.

“I remember, not too long ago, I was on the other side of the fence hoping a race-car driver would talk to me.”

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james.peltz@latimes.com