Another year, another heartbreak. That seems to be the storyline Chase Briscoe faces with Phoenix Raceway. Last year, the then-Stewart-Haas Racing driver had a rough outing. Even though he raced for nothing but pride and started in 12th, he was ready to take on the season finale. Unfortunately, he finished 29th after completing 310 laps.

But this time around, there was more on the line. The No. 19 driver was making his first appearance in the Championship 4 and in his first season at Joe Gibbs Racing. The stage was set, and it was the perfect opportunity to claim his first-ever Cup Series title. Briscoe looked poised to pull it off as he rolled off the grid just outside the top-10, but as the day unraveled, the 30-year-old driver’s dreams came crashing down.

Chase Briscoe faces the wrath of tire failures

Chase Briscoe quickly made ground, moving into the top 10 by lap 11. He maintained that pace through Stage 1, finishing 10th as William Byron took the stage. However, during Stage 2, Briscoe’s race was complicated; he climbed as high as 8th by lap 171, but tire issues began to surface. And then disaster struck. On Lap 216, the 30-year-old driver suffered a flat right rear tire. As he headed to pit road, he simply radioed, “ Flat tire.” And that was quickly followed by, “Check those left sides. I ran over something again under caution.” That set the tone for the rest of his race.

Speaking to NBC post-race, he said, “Wish we could have been on an even playing field at some point. Obviously thankful for the opportunity. So excited to be at Joe Gibbs Racing, be able to compete for wins, and compete for championships. Hate that one of us didn’t get it. I thought we were both certainly capable. This wasn’t our day.”

Caution on lap 106 for Shane Van Gisbergen’s tire failure came at the right time for Chase Briscoe, who had suffered a similar issue just a moment earlier. The 30-year-old managed to slow down into Turn 1 and save his Toyota from major damage. Still, a vibration forced the No. 19 car back to pit road shortly after, dropping Briscoe outside the top 25.

Despite this, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver steadily recovered, climbing back to 10th by lap 161, before surging to 3rd on lap 201 and second by lap 208, chasing Byron for the lead. But that wasn’t enough. Ultimately, Briscoe wrapped up the race in 18th place, third among the Championship 4 contenders.

Despite charging back into the top five with under 30 laps, his tires cost him late speed. Byron’s crash with ten laps to go sent the race into overtime, where Larson ultimately sealed his second championship. It was a tough ending for Briscoe, but he left Phoenix convinced that this won’t be his last shot at a Championship 4 run. But it wasn’t just Briscoe’s day that got dampened. Denny Hamlin, the oldest driver for JGR, tried his best to secure his elusive championship, but one move ruined his day.

A bitter day at Joe Gibbs Racing

They say to win one, you’ve got to lose one first. If that’s true, Denny Hamlin has more championships owed to him than seasons left to chase them. On Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, the 44-year-old veteran experienced perhaps the most gut-wrenching heartbreak of his career in the NASCAR Cup Series championship race, another chapter of what could have been in his pursuit of the Bill France Cup.

Hamlin was dominant all afternoon, leading 208 of the 319 laps, more than anyone else. With just three laps remaining, his No. 11 JGR Toyota seemed destined for victory. But racing has a cruel way of rewriting fate.

William Byron, running second and Hamlin’s closest rival in the championship fight, blew a tire and slammed into the Turn 4 wall, triggering a late caution that sent the race into overtime.

What followed was a strategy nightmare. Hamlin led the field to pit road, but three drivers stayed out while others, including Kyle Larson, opted for two tires. Hamlin’s crew bolted on four fresh tires, putting him further back in the order. He hoped the grip advantage would help him back to the front, but as the field lined up for the two-lap shootout, the reality hit: too many cars stood between him and the title. Ultimately, Hamlin finished the race in sixth place, while Larson finished three spots above him to claim his second title.

Hamlin was absolutely speechless after the race, saying, “I really don’t have much for emotion right now. Just numb about it because, just in shock. That’s about it.” Love him or hate him, but almost everyone was rooting for a Hamlin championship. In fact, NASCAR fans felt for the 44-year-old driver and didn’t hold back on placing the blame on Chris Gayle’s tire strategy move on the final restart.

Hamlin then said something that could make the world stop. He added, “In this moment, I like never want to race a car ever again. My fun meter is pegged.” While the No. 11 driver feels miserable after his latest missed opportunity, true to his nature, the 60-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner will dust himself off and swing back stronger next year.