One of the best NASCAR Cup Series drivers without a championship is ready to shed that title Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
“I definitely feel optimistic about it,” Denny Hamlin said Thursday during Championship 4 media day. “A lot of it comes from I’m not really panicked about missing any details; I feel like I’ve gone through them all. So, yeah, I’m optimistic, but I need more track data and track results to confirm or question that confidence.”
Hamlin has been here before – more times than one could count. But a title has yet to happen for him in the elimination format, or the previous playoff format. It hasn’t happened in seasons where he’s looked like the overwhelming favorite, nor the ones where he advanced at the last minute. Nor has it happened when it seemed he had control of the championship race or the best car.
Sunday is the finale of Hamlin’s 20th full season in the Cup Series, and he’ll try again for that elusive first title against Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe and the Hendrick Motorsports duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson.
“This thing is hard to handicap,” said Hamlin of the title battle.
The last time Hamlin was in the Championship 4 was in 2021, when he finished third. In the elimination format era (2014 to present), Hamlin has been in the title race five times. In his career, he has finished either second or third in the championship on four different occasions.
“I certainly feel like we’re a deserving team,” Hamlin said. “If we were to win it, we’re a very deserving team. We’ve paid our dues in this thing, so hopefully it all happens.”
Hamlin described himself as “a lot looser” this time around than in previous years, and said that he’s in a good headspace. A lot of it has come from the season he’s already put together with a series-leading six wins and hitting the 60 career wins milestone. The latter is something Hamlin didn’t think he would do this year.
Of the four title contenders, three of them, including Hamlin, have never won a championship. Larson did so in 2021 and is seeking his second on Sunday. Byron is in the championship race for the third straight year, and Briscoe is going through it all for the first time. Hamlin is also the oldest of the group at 44, whereas Larson is 33, Briscoe is 30, and Byron is 27.
No matter which narrative is chosen to preview Sunday’s race, Hamlin would likely be the unanimous pick as the driver with the most pressure to win the title.
“I would think it would probably be me, simply because of the time left,” he said. “Is this my last opportunity or not? I think any format change that’s coming that seems like it’ll be a bigger sample size should be better for me in general, but you just never know. You always have to seize the moment right there in front of you.
