The future of little Lulu, the stray puppy Denny Hamlin’s daughters found under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis in June, has been in doubt ever since Hamlin decided the addition to his household had derailed his season.

Denny Hamlin had an eventful Round of 16, but the NASCAR Cup Series veteran is on to the Round of 12 after Bristol over the weekend, surviving a stretch of tough luck. Still, the question of whether Hamlin can still win his first Cup Series title remains.

Denny Hamlin, who has won the past two Bristol Cup races, enters Saturday night's race six points below the cutline.