Hamlin Seeks to Crown His Career in the NASCAR Final
Everything is set for Denny Hamlin, recognized as one of NASCAR’s best drivers without a championship, to finally get the title in the 2024 season. Hamlin, in his twentieth full season, secured the pole position at Phoenix Raceway for the final NASCAR race. The cup will be contested between Hamlin, his teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron and Kyle Larson, both from Hendrick Motorsports. Hamlin will lead the grid in the final race, after a season in which he obtained six victories, the most in the series. His triumph in Las Vegas last month marked his 60th career victory, securing him a place in the final and allowing him to prepare for three weeks.Hamlin has remained calm and in good spirits in the run-up to the most important race of his life. The pilot has gathered about 30 friends and family who will share three rental houses in the Phoenix area. After setting a time of 133.759 mph in his Toyota, Hamlin earned the first position on the grid, giving him the advantage of choosing his pit position, a crucial decision to avoid speeding penalties.I think the advantage was winning in Las Vegas because I was able to get a lot of work done before this week. That way, this week isn’t as busy.
Hamlin
However, there is a possibility that Hamlin will peak too early in the weekend.
Hamlin has lost the championship on at least six previous occasions, so it’s not far-fetched to think that luck could change on Sunday.No problem!
Hamlin
Larson is the only driver in the final who already has a title, while Byron, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, returns to the final for the third consecutive year. Briscoe will make his debut in the title race, while Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner and considered the best NASCAR driver without a championship, returns to the final for the first time since 2021. Byron and Larson finished second and third, respectively, in their Chevrolets. Briscoe finished 12th, the lowest among the title contenders.You can only control the things you can control.
Hamlin
I feel that, honestly, it was a very bad lap that I did. I was a little surprised that it was even 12th to some extent.
Briscoe
This is at least the sixth time Hamlin has had the opportunity to win the championship, but so far he has not been successful. Hamlin spun in the 2010 final, a bad pit stop in 2014, overheated because the team put too much tape on the front grille in 2019, and then strategy or lack of speed cost him in 2020 and 2021.
Hamlin has become the likeable favorite to win on Sunday, and even his competitors have acknowledged that a Hamlin championship would be well received.Everyone loves a story like that, where someone is nearing the end of their career, all that, I can see why people would cheer for it.
Larson
Hamlin comes to the championship race after a crew chief change in the offseason that he opposed. Joe Gibbs Racing was going to lose crew chief Chris Gayle if they didn’t move him, so he was assigned to Hamlin while Chris Gabehart was moved to management. Hamlin didn’t want to lose Gabehart, the crew chief who has brought out the best in Hamlin in the last years of his career, and openly criticized the decision. However, Gayle adapted quickly, has taken a car to the final for the first time in his career and could now be the team boss who finally leads Hamlin to a title.I want Denny to win just so he can have that on his resume.
Briscoe
Hamlin’s 60th victory tied him for 10th on the all-time wins list. He had been urgently pursuing the mark because it was his personal consolation prize for not having a Cup title and he wanted to do it before his father, who has a serious health problem, died. Hamlin said he wants to win on Sunday because, “I know for sure that this is my last chance for my father to see it. I don’t want him to leave and never be able to see the moment.”There are four very good cars, very good teams, very good team bosses. I just want to win the race and be the champion.
Gayle
