Sunday’s championship race at Phoenix Raceway could be the defining moment or the final straw for Denny Hamlin’s long and decorated career. Now 44, Hamlin is still chasing his elusive first NASCAR Cup Series title despite 60 Cup wins, the most of any active driver without a championship.

His near misses have been agonizingly close, from losing the 2010 title at Homestead-Miami Speedway after leading the points entering the finale to coming up short again in 2019 and 2020 under the elimination-style playoff format. Another heartbreak this Sunday could leave Hamlin’s final dream incomplete forever, which is why, before the final straw, he has one small plea to the fans.

Root for the old guy this time

When asked why fans should root for him heading into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin didn’t hesitate to deliver a candid, self-aware answer. Instantly laughing on hearing the question, he said to Fox News, “Because if you root for the other drivers, they’re going to have a lot more opportunities to win a championship in the future than I will. So if you want to see it happen, you’re probably going to have to root for me this year.”

Hamlin’s comment struck a chord with many longtime fans, a mix of humor and honesty from one of NASCAR’s most polarizing yet respected veterans. At 44, soon turning 45 on November 18, Hamlin is still chasing his first Cup Series title despite an otherwise Hall of Fame-worthy résumé: 80 NASCAR career victories, three Daytona 500s, and four Championship 4 appearances. With the current Championship format rewarding one-race performance over season-long dominance, Hamlin has often been heartbreakingly close but just short.

Hamlin’s statement also reflects his understanding of the competitive landscape around him. Drivers like William Byron (27), Christopher Bell (30), and Kyle Larson (33) have far more years ahead to chase more titles, while Hamlin’s window may be narrowing. As NBC Sports pointed out during the 2025 playoffs, Hamlin remains the winningest active driver without a Cup championship, a title no racer wants to hold.

His consistency, averaging nearly two wins and 14 top-tens per season since 2019, shows he’s still elite. His six wins this year alone are enough to prove his red-hot form, but the cruel math of NASCAR’s playoff system means that one mechanical failure or pit road mistake can erase an entire year’s work. That’s why Hamlin’s plea isn’t just playful; it’s real. For many fans, this may be his best, and perhaps last, golden opportunity to secure the trophy that has eluded him for nearly two decades.

Looking ahead to Phoenix, Hamlin made it clear that he’s focused solely on the present, not the hypothetical “what-ifs” of next season. “I like the opportunity that’s straight in front of us and not the you-know, the what-ifs of next year. You just never know. All you know right now, and what I know, is that the opportunity is one week away,”  he said.

That grounded mindset has defined Hamlin’s late career resurgence. Since co-founding 23XI Racing with NBA legend Michael Jordan in 2021, Hamlin has balanced being both a driver and a team owner, helping develop young talent like Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace while still performing at a top-tier level for Joe Gibbs Racing.

This year, his No. 11 FedEx Toyota team has shown a steady pace and playoff poise, posting multiple victories and a strong Round of 8 finish to advance to the finale. Hamlin knows all too well how fleeting chances can be, whether it was heartbreak in 2010 at Homestead, when a late pit call cost him his first title, or the 2020 finale at Phoenix, where he simply lacked speed.

Steve Letarte voiced the hope on NASCAR: Inside the Race, saying he has eyes on Hamlin’s maybe-last dance.

Letarte’s one wish

He said, “If he’s unable to do it, I hope he is unable to do it on his own accord.” Letarte wants clean shots, no gremlins. “If he’s unable to do it, I hope he is unable to do it on his own accord. I hope it’s not a pit stop or a mechanical gremlin. We saw a throttle at Talladega, a broken engine today.”

“Like, all I want Denny Hamlin to be delivered is to be on the front row or the front two rows of the final restart with a car that should or could be able to win the championship. I just want to see him and his talents on display.” Letarte’s right. Two decades deserve a fair fight. Flat tire, bad gun, mechanical issues, nobody wants that exit. Hamlin has poured too much in. And it’s not just the No. 11, Letarte looped in Kyle Busch, too.

“I want Kyle Busch to have that Jeff Gordon wins at Martinsville moment, or I want Kyle Busch one more time at least to stand there on the front stretch and remind himself how great he was. And I think for Denny Hamlin, he’s kind of there. He’s at his peak. And I think to be at your peak, I’d love to see him at least have a chance, like I said, of his own accord.”

Busch fades in memory, Hamlin peaks now. At 44, his retirement whispers. Letarte begs racing gods: give the vet his stage. Hamlin’s plea meets Letarte’s wish, both rooting for the common goal ultimately. Phoenix holds the answer, and only one lap will decide if Hamlin’s chase ends in glory or grit.