Denny Hamlin Displays Uncharacteristic Calm Ahead of NASCAR Championship Showdown

Phoenix Raceway – As the dust settled on Saturday’s qualifying session for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, radiated an uncharacteristic calm, a stark contrast to the mechanical concerns that had shadowed his team on Friday. Hamlin secured the pole position for Sunday’s title race, a crucial advantage that historically bodes well for championship contenders in the Next Gen era, with the pole-sitter winning four of the last five Cup Series championships.

Hamlin’s relaxed demeanor was evident during the final press conference, a palpable shift from his more reserved posture following a Friday practice session where a clutch issue surfaced. Despite the minor setback, the veteran driver admitted the problem did not necessitate significant overnight adjustments. He arrived at the media center with a smile, a reflection of his team’s strong qualifying performance and his own consistent speed, having also posted the fastest lap and best five-lap average during practice.

The driver of the No. 11 car was met with the news that he is considered the sentimental favorite among NASCAR fans, according to a recent poll by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. Hamlin responded with characteristic wit, attributing the sentiment to potential “chat bot” influence while expressing his appreciation for the support.

His championship rivals, William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports and Kyle Larson, also of Hendrick Motorsports, acknowledged Hamlin’s popularity. Byron, who will start the championship race on the front row alongside Hamlin, appeared unfazed by the fan sentiment, stating with a smirk that he doesn’t "look at the app, Twitter" and therefore wasn’t aware of such polls. Hamlin playfully chimed in, reminding Byron that the platform is now known as "X," drawing laughter from the assembled media.

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Larson, a close friend and frequent rival of Hamlin, offered a more reflective perspective on Hamlin’s status as a fan favorite. "I think because, yeah, everybody likes a story like that where somebody nearing the end of their career wins, all that. It’s great," Larson commented. "I mean, I can see why people would cheer for him. I’m a competitor. I obviously want to win. But it would be really cool to see somebody who has put in so much time to this sport and been so close so many times. 60 wins. I agree." Larson added, with a touch of competitive spirit, "I’m going to want to kick his ass tomorrow, but it’s not going to kill me if he wins, unless he runs me in the fence again," eliciting more laughter.

Hamlin, known for his strategic mind and often pointed remarks, skillfully deflected statistical narratives that highlighted his past performances and advantages. When Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press inquired about her seating position, Hamlin lightheartedly suggested she might have "made someone mad," referencing a prior question that had drawn the attention of NASCAR President Steve Phelps. This interaction underscored Hamlin’s comfort and readiness, turning a potentially tense moment into a display of his ability to manage the media spotlight.

Addressing the statistical trend of the fastest qualifier winning the championship, Hamlin remained grounded. "Every time’s different," he stated. "I mean, I don’t know. Did William’s win from last week just automatically give him all this momentum? I finished last. I don’t really (pause) This sport is so week to week, it’s hard to draw. I know there’s always connections to statistics. Again, there’s just more variables this time around. It sounds good. It really does sound good. Statistics don’t do the work."

Regarding the clutch issue that surfaced on Friday, Hamlin confirmed that the car felt normal during Saturday’s sessions. "Today everything felt pretty normal to me," he said. "There was nothing alarming today that got my attention."

The championship field is rounded out by William Byron and Kyle Larson, both driving for Hendrick Motorsports, and Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing. Byron and Larson, teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, expressed confidence in their machinery. Byron stated, "Yeah, I feel good. I think so far it’s kind of what we’ve been working on and trying to improve. Yeah, I’m optimistic. I think everything so far this weekend has been pretty solid." Larson echoed this sentiment, noting, "I mean, I think for me, like fuel-wise, it doesn’t feel way different than normal like I was expecting. I felt like pace-wise it seemed a little bit better than what I have been here in other practices in years past." Both acknowledged the inherent difficulty in fully assessing race pace during practice sessions, emphasizing the need to wait for race conditions.

Chase Briscoe, starting 12th, expressed concerns about his limited practice time due to a first-lap flat tire on Friday. "Yeah, I mean, I said ‘slow’, I was kind of joking," Briscoe remarked. "They’re 1-2-3 and I’m 12th, right? Going back and trying to see what I can do for tomorrow. I didn’t get a lot of practice laps. I don’t really know what my car is going to do on the long run. That’s the big thing, trying to go see how the car drove differently from lap 1 through 5 to 20 on. I don’t know how my car is going to drive. Kind of see how they’re going to trend. That will be the biggest thing."

The conversation also touched upon the unseasonably warm temperatures for November in Phoenix. Larson used the opportunity to playfully jab at competitors who utilize cooling suits, a luxury Hamlin openly admits he does not employ. "Talk to the guys that wear the cool suits," Hamlin quipped, nudging Larson. Larson responded, "I like the elements for guys who don’t wear cool suits, so…" to which Hamlin retorted, "Nothing wrong with a little luxury."

As the four championship contenders prepare for the ultimate test of the season, the focus remains on their individual performances and the strategic battles that will unfold. While Larson and Byron aim for further championships with Hendrick Motorsports, and Briscoe seeks his maiden title, the narrative surrounding Hamlin’s pursuit of his first Cup Series championship, especially given his substantial win total and the knowledge that he is in one of his final seasons, continues to capture significant attention. Briscoe articulated this sentiment well, stating, "Anybody with common sense knows that Denny is more than capable of being a champion. You don’t win 60 races… I think it would be a shame, right? If whenever he does decide to hang it up, he would be the best ever that’s never won, right? I think everyone knows that he is more than capable. Even myself, right? Like Kyle said, I’m a competitor. Like if I don’t win, I want Denny to win just so he can kind of have that on his résumé. So yeah, I think it doesn’t surprise me at all that the fans feel the same way."

The stage is set at Phoenix Raceway for a compelling championship finale, with Hamlin carrying not only the weight of his own aspirations but also the hopes of many long-time fans.