Hamlin Seeks Title in NASCAR Final
Denny Hamlin, in his 20th season, is poised to break the record for the best NASCAR driver without a championship. Hamlin secured the pole position at Phoenix Raceway, in the NASCAR championship final. The title will be decided between Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron and Kyle Larson, both from Hendrick Motorsports. Hamlin will lead the final race, after winning six races this season, including the victory in Las Vegas last month, which was the 60th of his career. This victory secured him a place in the final, giving him three weeks to prepare.Hamlin has remained calm and in good spirits, sharing time with friends and family in the Phoenix area. After setting a lap at 133.759 mph in his Toyota, Hamlin secures the starting position, giving him the advantage of choosing the pit stall, a decision that could help him avoid speeding penalties. Despite this, Hamlin might be at his best too soon. Larson is the only driver in the final who already has a title, while Byron, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, is in the final for the third consecutive year. Briscoe will make his debut in the title race, and Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, returns to the final for the first time since 2021. Byron and Larson finished second and third, respectively. Briscoe finished in 12th place.I think the benefit 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
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 crashed in the 2010 final, had a bad pit stop in 2014, overheated in 2019, and strategy or lack of speed cost him in 2020 and 2021. Hamlin has become the public’s favorite, and even his competitors recognize that a championship for him would be well received.I feel like, in reality, it was a very bad lap that I did. I was a little surprised that it was even 12th.
Briscoe
Everyone likes a story like that, where someone is near the end of their career, all that, I can see why people would root for it. Obviously, I want to win. But it would be great to see someone who has dedicated so much time to this sport and has been so close so many times. Sixty wins. Tomorrow I’m going to want to kick his ass, but it won’t kill me if he wins.
Larson
Hamlin faces the championship race after a crew chief change in the offseason, which 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 made the most of Hamlin’s potential in the last years of his career, and openly criticized the decision. But 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 think it would be a shame, wouldn’t it?, if when he decides to hang it up, it were the best he’s ever won, wouldn’t it? I think everyone knows he’s more than capable.
Briscoe
Hamlin’s 60th victory tied him for 10th on the all-time wins list. He had been urgently pursuing this mark because it was his personal consolation prize for not having a Cup title and he wanted to achieve it before his father, who has a serious health problem, passed away. 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 get 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. It’s not necessarily something for me to come and give to Denny. Would it be extra sweet with Denny just because I know what he’s been through and has been close? Yes. I don’t know if that changes anything.
Gayle
