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PHOENIX, AZ – Denny Hamlin, a veteran contender in the NASCAR Cup Series, exuded an uncharacteristic lightness and confidence during the Championship Four press conference held Saturday at Phoenix Raceway, just hours before the season finale. Following a challenging Friday marked by a mechanical scare with his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Hamlin’s demeanor shifted dramatically after securing the pole position for Sunday’s championship race. This achievement is particularly noteworthy in the current NextGen era, where the pole-sitting finalist has consistently gone on to claim the championship in recent years.
Hamlin’s performance on the track mirrored his improved mood. He posted the fastest lap during practice and demonstrated the best five-lap average on Friday. Despite a clutch issue that required attention, the team indicated that no major overnight changes were necessary, suggesting the problem was manageable. This strong showing, coupled with his relaxed disposition, set a positive tone for the driver aiming for his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The veteran driver, who leads all active drivers with 51 wins, was also met with the news that he is the sentimental favorite among NASCAR fans, according to a recent poll conducted by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. Hamlin, with a characteristic chuckle, playfully attributed the surge in fan support to "chatbots skewing those polls," while expressing appreciation for the backing.
His competitors acknowledged Hamlin’s strong position. William Byron, who will start on the front row alongside Hamlin, and Kyle Larson, starting third, both commented on the fan sentiment. Byron, when asked about the public’s favor towards Hamlin, responded with a knowing smirk, stating, "I mean, I don’t really look at the app, Twitter. So I don’t know." Hamlin quickly quipped back, referencing the platform’s rebranding, "Just so you know, it’s called ‘X’ now," drawing laughter from the assembled media.
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Larson, a close friend and frequent rival of Hamlin, offered a more earnest perspective. "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 said. "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." He then added a competitive caveat, "But… 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."
Hamlin, known for his strategic mind and adeptness at turning the tables, used the press conference to deflect attention and keep his competitors slightly off-balance. Before Jenna Fryer of The Associated Press could pose her question, Hamlin inquired about her seating arrangement, suggesting she might have "made someone mad," a nod to a previous interaction where Fryer’s question about a hypothetical penalty for Hamlin drew a sharp response from NASCAR President Steve Phelps. Hamlin’s playful remark, referencing Phelps, elicited further laughter, effectively diffusing any potential tension.
When pressed about whether his current favorable situation might be "too good to be true," Hamlin remained grounded. "No, I don’t think so," he stated. "You can only help the things that you can control. Obviously, we’ll just do the best we can tomorrow for 312 laps. I hope it’s enough."
Addressing the statistical trend of pole-sitters winning the championship in recent years, Hamlin expressed a pragmatic view. "Every time’s different," he remarked. "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… 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 encountered on Friday, Hamlin confirmed, "Today everything felt pretty normal to me. There was nothing alarming today that got my attention." This suggests the Joe Gibbs Racing team has a handle on the car’s performance for Sunday’s race.
The starting grid for Sunday’s championship race features Hamlin on the front row alongside Byron. Larson will start third, with Chase Briscoe, who experienced a significant reduction in practice time due to a first-lap flat tire on Friday, starting 12th. Briscoe acknowledged the limited track time, stating, "I said ‘slow’, I was kind of joking. 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."
Both Byron and Larson expressed confidence in their Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets. 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 his teammate’s sentiment, adding, "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. It’s so hard to get a true judge on things in practice, so you just really got to see how it’s going to be tomorrow."
The unusually warm November temperatures in Phoenix also became a talking point, with Larson playfully jabbing at competitors who utilize cooling devices under their fire suits, a practice Hamlin does not follow. "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…" Hamlin, ever the pragmatist, concluded, "Nothing wrong with a little luxury."
As the final contenders prepare for the championship race, the narratives surrounding Hamlin’s quest for a maiden title, Larson’s bid for a second, and Byron and Briscoe’s pursuit of their first, add layers of intrigue to the season finale. Briscoe acknowledged the significance of Hamlin’s potential championship, 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 for a compelling conclusion to the NASCAR Cup Series season at Phoenix Raceway, with Hamlin appearing poised and ready to contend for the ultimate prize.
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