The 43-year-old was involved in a wreck heading into Turn 2, suffering damage but remaining in the race.
Hamlin finished 23rd overall, however finds himself on the bubble as he heads into the final Round of 16 race at Bristol.
Can Denny Hamlin progress to the Round of 12?
The Bass Pro Shops Night Race hosts the next NASCAR event on Saturday September 21, with the race starting at 7:30pm (ET).
Despite a nightmare result at Watkins Glen, last's years Bristol winner remains confident that he can progress to the Round of 12 at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
“My fault on qualifying, I put us in a bad spot there and it put us right in the middle of where the crashes are,” Hamlin said to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.
“So, I can’t complain if I’m going to qualify bad.”
“I couldn’t see. There was just a jam up there,” he added when discussing the wreck.
“With the rumble strips and the way they are, if you kinda get on them wrong it’ll shoot you into the car beside and more than likely the 8 got turned somehow that way.”
“Yeah we’re going to a let-off oval, one where you gotta let off the gas,” Hamilton said regarding his chances at Bristol.
“So, I feel like we should be pretty confident. I can’t think of the last time we haven’t had a race-winning car there.”