Denny Hamlin Sets Championship Tone with Uncharacteristic Calm Ahead of Phoenix Showdown

Denny Hamlin, the veteran driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, approached the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway with a notable sense of ease, a stark contrast to the mechanical concerns that had surfaced earlier in the weekend. His composure was palpable during the final media availability, a testament to his commanding pole position secured on Saturday and his consistent performance throughout the season. This marked a significant shift from his more reserved demeanor following a Friday practice session where a clutch issue momentarily surfaced but was deemed not to require major overnight adjustments.

Hamlin’s relaxed state was further amplified by the statistical trend in the NextGen era, which has seen the driver who secures the best qualifying position among the Championship Four ultimately claim the title. This trend bodes well for Hamlin, who not only clinched the pole but also posted the fastest lap in practice and maintained the best five-lap average on Friday.

During the press conference, Hamlin was informed of his status as the sentimental favorite among NASCAR fans, according to a poll conducted by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. Responding with a characteristic sense of humor, Hamlin quipped, "I think it’s chatbots that are skewing those polls. I just appreciate the support." This lighthearted deflection underscored his comfort and confidence heading into Sunday’s race.

His fellow Championship Four competitors also acknowledged Hamlin’s strong position and the fan sentiment. William Byron, who will start on the front row alongside Hamlin, expressed a pragmatic view: "I mean, I don’t really look at the app, Twitter. So I don’t know." Hamlin, ever the quick-witted commentator, interjected with a chuckle, "Just so you know, it’s called ‘X’ now."

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Kyle Larson, a teammate and longtime rival of Hamlin, spoke with genuine respect for the veteran’s career and his current opportunity. "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 stated. "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, however, quickly added a competitive edge, "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." Laughter rippled through the room at Larson’s candid remark.

Hamlin, adept at navigating the media landscape, skillfully deflected any direct statistical advantages by turning the focus back onto the media themselves. Before AP reporter Jenna Fryer could ask her question, Hamlin playfully inquired about her seating position, "Did you make someone mad?" This was a subtle nod to an earlier interaction where Fryer’s question, suggesting a hypothetical penalty against Hamlin could be viewed controversially due to his ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR, had drawn the ire of NASCAR President Steve Phelps. Hamlin’s jibe about Phelps being "behind you" further lightened the mood, demonstrating his ability to diffuse tense situations with humor.

Despite the lighthearted exchanges, the question of whether Hamlin’s seemingly perfect weekend was too good to be true lingered. Hamlin dismissed such notions, stating, "No, I don’t think so. 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 correlation between pole position and championship wins in recent years, Hamlin remained grounded. "Every time’s different," he asserted. "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 experienced on Friday, Hamlin reported no lingering concerns. "Today everything felt pretty normal to me," he confirmed. "There was nothing alarming today that got my attention."

Starting alongside Hamlin on the front row will be William Byron, who has also had a strong season for Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle Larson will start third, aiming to replicate his championship-winning performance from a previous season. Chase Briscoe, the fourth contender from Joe Gibbs Racing, will start 12th. Briscoe admitted to a slight disadvantage due to limited practice time after a first-lap flat tire on Friday. "Yeah, I mean, I said ‘slow’, I was kind of joking," Briscoe commented on his practice session. "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."

Byron and Larson expressed confidence in their Hendrick Motorsports machines. "Yeah, I feel good," Byron said. "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 sentiments, 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. 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 unseasonably warm temperatures for a November race in Phoenix also became a talking point. Larson, with a playful jab, pointed to drivers using cooling suits, a luxury Hamlin eschews. "Talk to the guys that wear the cool suits," Hamlin quipped, nudging Larson. "I like the elements for guys who don’t wear cool suits," Larson responded. "Nothing wrong with a little luxury," Hamlin retorted, embracing the challenging conditions.

While Larson, Byron, and Briscoe are all vying for a championship, they also acknowledged the significance of Hamlin’s pursuit. Briscoe articulated this sentiment: "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 championship battle at Phoenix Raceway, with Denny Hamlin appearing to be in prime position, not just statistically, but also mentally, as he chases his maiden NASCAR Cup Series title.