Hamlin Seeks to Crown His Career in the NASCAR Final
Denny Hamlin, in his twentieth full season, is on the verge of shedding the label of the best NASCAR driver without a championship. Hamlin secured the pole position at Phoenix Raceway, preparing for the decisive NASCAR final. The Cup title will be contested between Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Chase Briscoe, and William Byron and Kyle Larson, both of Hendrick Motorsports. Hamlin will lead the final race, after a season in which he accumulated six victories, the most in the series. His triumph in Las Vegas last month was his 60th victory, securing his place in the final and giving him three weeks to fine-tune his car and mentality. This has kept him relaxed and joking before the most important race of his life.Hamlin has remained calm, facing the week like any other in Phoenix, although with more media attention. He has the support of about 30 friends and family who share three houses in the Phoenix area. After Hamlin set a lap of 133.759 mph in his Toyota, securing the first starting position, the pro-Hamlin fanbase is optimistic. However, there’s a chance he’s peaking too early. Larson is the only driver in the final group who has already won a title, while Byron, two-time Daytona 500 winner, is competing in the final for the third consecutive year. Briscoe will make his debut in the title race, and Hamlin, three-time Daytona 500 winner, returns to the final for the first time since 2021. Byron and Larson finished second and third respectively, while Briscoe finished in twelfth position.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
This will be at least the sixth time Hamlin has the opportunity to win the championship, and so far, he hasn’t succeeded. Hamlin has been the public’s favorite, and even his competitors recognize that a Hamlin victory would be well-received.I feel that, honestly, it was a very bad lap that I ran. I was a little surprised that it was even 12th.
Briscoe
Everyone loves a story like that, where someone is nearing 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 beat him badly, but it won’t kill me if he wins.
Larson
Hamlin comes to 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 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 crew chief 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, he were the best of all time who has never won, right? 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 told The Associated Press this week that 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
