Denny Hamlin arrived at Phoenix knowing he needed a big event to keep his championship hopes alive, sitting 49 points behind leader Kyle Larson. By the time the flag had fallen, the gap had narrowed to 31 points, giving veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver reason to look for the silver jacket. But the points only told part of the story. While Hamlin appeared to be holding off Larson in the race, his late fatigue took a toll on him, leaving him searching for answers. With Talladega next, the pressure is on.
“Some things are meant to be, some things aren’t,” Denny Hamlin told reporters on a frustrating afternoon at Phoenix Raceway (via Jeff Gluck at 10). “And I think, you know, there have been so many cards that have been done in my career in these playoffs or the Chase that I’ve seen all of them. Nothing surprises me anymore. I am not surprised at all. So I don’t like it, I’m not a shell that I’ve been here.
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Hamlin had reasons to explain the feeling of football before the race. He finished second in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2, collecting a respectable 12 point haul while championship leader Kyle Larson failed to score the stage points. Joe Gibbs Racing driver also ran inside the top five overall in the race. This gave him an opportunity to take another significant bite out of Larsonia’s advantage. Then came the setback that changed everything.
On lap 221 of 312, Hamlin suffered a right rear tire failure, which forced his No. 11 Toyota at an unexpected pit road. The veteran tried to keep the car under control to give way, but described the journey to the pit road as crazy, explaining that he struggled to slow down the car which had effectively lost its outer tyres. At last, the unscheduled marches followed the precious tracks, and left the pocket behind the leaders.
Denny Hamlin is feeling the pressure as playoff safety comes to press. Add to stay on top of every ball fight twist.
Hamlin initially believed he could still save the situation. His plan was to warm up early in the green-flag sequence, return to the front and hope for a later caution to stop the field again. That he might recover some of the land he had lost. But another mistake made the recovery much more difficult.
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When the caution came out on lap 223, Hamlin was in position to receive a free pass and return to the lead lap. But he was caught speeding on pit-road entry, making him unfit for duty. He rested on a lap of 230 in 33rd place, dropped one lap, and could not make up enough ground in the afternoon. Hamlin eventually finished 28th.
It made it very painful because Hamlin had shown enough speed to show the first signs of competition. He later said the team did not believe an air pressure issue caused the tire failure and suspected something was wrong. But still he offered little comfort in the explanation of the day he had seen, promising trouble before it was too late.
Hamlin’s frustration is also tied to his refusal to win the championship. Despite finishing 28th, he gained 18 points over Larson, whose difficult day ending in a DNF left him with just three points. Hamlin now sits fourth in the Chase standings, 31 points behind Larson. This improvement comes from a 49-point deficit in Phoenix, but both Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe have made it to the stands, and the missed opportunity to finish near the front with just three races remaining could prove valuable.
When asked if he would reach for the panic button, Hamlin replied bluntly: “Sure.”
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He insisted the deficit remains manageable, arguing that one win could put him back in contention. But with Talladega next up and another cell left at a disadvantage, Hamlin Knows 11 must turn his team’s pace into a race exit soon.
Patronage is still up for grabs, but Hamlin’s margin of error has narrowed sharply. After the Phoenix veteran left, he pulled his resilience in his career and hoped that the following three races would catch up to him in the place he had lost.
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