Hamlin takes the pole in Phoenix: Will it be his moment in the NASCAR final?

Hamlin Seeks to Crown His Career in the NASCAR Final

Everything is set for Denny Hamlin to shed the label of NASCAR’s best driver without a championship. In his 20th full season, Hamlin secured the pole position at Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR championship final, a winner-take-all race. The Cup 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 starting grid in the final race of 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 giving him three weeks to prepare, both in his car and mentally. This has found him relaxed and joking before the most important race of his life.

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 tight.

Denny Hamlin

Hamlin, who has experienced various emotions in title races, including a serious attitude in 2010, has approached this week similarly to any other in Phoenix. His environment includes around 30 friends and family who share three rental houses in the area. After Hamlin set a lap at 133.759 mph in his Toyota, earning the top spot, which gives him the first choice of his pit stall, a selection that could reduce his tendency to receive speeding penalties, the pro-Hamlin fanbase has reason to be optimistic. However, there is a possibility that it is peaking too early in the weekend. Larson is the only driver in the final with a title, while Byron, two-time Daytona 500 winner, returns to the final for the third consecutive year. Briscoe will make his debut in the title race, and Hamlin, three-time Daytona 500 winner, considered the best NASCAR driver who has never won a championship, returns to the final for the first time since 2021. Byron and Larson finished second and third respectively, while Briscoe placed 12th.

I feel like, honestly, it was a really bad lap that I did. I was a little surprised that it was even 12th.

Chase Briscoe

This is at least the sixth time in Hamlin’s career that he has the opportunity to win the championship, and so far, he has not succeeded. Hamlin struggled in the 2010 final, a bad pit stop in 2014, overheating in 2019, and strategy and speed issues in 2020 and 2021.

Hamlin has become the favorite, and even his competitors recognize that a Hamlin championship would be well received.

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 really cool 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’s not going to kill me if he wins.

Kyle Larson

I think it would be a shame, wouldn’t it?, that when he decides to retire, he’s the best he’s ever won, right? I think everyone knows he’s more than capable.

Chase Briscoe

Hamlin is facing this 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. 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.

There are four really good cars, really good teams, really good team bosses. I just want to win the race and be the champion. It’s not necessarily something for me to come and get for 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.

Chris Gayle

Hamlin’s 60th victory tied him for tenth place 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 wanted to do it before his father, who has a serious health problem, died. Hamlin stated that he wants to win on Sunday because, “I know for a fact 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.”