“It’s just another chance to roll the dice,” Denny Hamlin said as he was heading into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, and so far, he’s lived up to it. The veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver secured a first commanding playoff victory at the World Wide Technology Raceway and then at Las Vegas, marking his record 60th Cup win with a Championship 4 ticket. But that’s where the worries await him.

So far, his championship run has been built on an impressive foundation of dominance at several key tracks. His strength on short tracks is undeniable, and the intermediate tracks have also proven to be a Hamlin stronghold, with Kansas Speedway being a clear favorite. However, his recent admission that Phoenix Raceway has “not been my strong suit” makes the journey between him and the Championship far more tense.

Denny Hamlin targeting the Championship Achilles’ heel

In a Martinsville pre-race interview, when pressed about specific focus areas at Phoenix, a track known for deciding the NASCAR Cup Series champion, Hamlin was clear that his team’s work was extensive. “The list is too long, and I can’t tip my hat on that,” he said. This deliberate ambiguity is a hallmark of the playoff contender, whose quest for a first Cup Series title has included multiple heartbreaking defeats in the Championship 4.

One such classic defeat was the 2020 Championship race at Phoenix, where he finished fourth among the title contenders after failing to lead a single lap. The pursuit of ‘getting better’ is a total organization effort, one that includes the high-level technique partnership with Toyota Racing Development and the tireless work of crew chief Chris Gayle, all focused on finding that final, razor-thin margin of speed.

Despite his reputation as a master of short tracks, Hamlin confessed to a personal struggle with the Arizona mile-and-a-half oval, saying, “I think as a driver, I’ve always thought that Phoenix has kind of not been my strong suit, necessarily as a driver, even though it’s in my wheelhouse of shorter, flat tracks.” His six career wins at Martinsville Speedway and three victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway clearly demonstrate his prowess on short tracks.

Yet, at Phoenix, his win came over a decade ago in 2012 and then in 2019, and in recent years, despite consistent top-10 finishes, he has been unable to secure the win when it mattered most. For instance, in the spring 2025 Phoenix race, Hamlin almost tasted victory but ultimately finished runner-up to his teammate Christopher Bell in a dramatic final-lap duel, a prime example of the high-speed but slightly elusive victory he targets.

While the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas are often powerhouses on short, flat tracks like Richmond, where Hamlin is a 5-time winner, Phoenix has proven to be an anomaly in their repertoire. For instance, in the 2024 season, Hamlin finished 11th and 19th in the two Phoenix races.

“I’m really trying to get better at this place. If we want to make a run at a championship, and you’ve got to win it through Phoenix, you’ve got to get better at Phoenix,” he said, following his pole-winning qualifying run for the spring race at Phoenix in 2024.

The distinction he draws highlights the unique, asymmetrical design of the Phoenix Raceway, particularly the tight, reconfigured Turn 1 and 2 compared to the sweeping Turn 3 and 4. This history led him to conclude, “So, half the focus has been on myself, more so, than just trying to get everything I can out of the car.”

This extra focus allows him to spend dedicated time on the simulator, honing his technique for the crucial final corners, while his Championship 4 rivals are forced to split their attention between multiple races in the Round of 8. But as Hamlin chases his long-awaited title, JGR’s revitalized partnership sparks quiet tension beneath the team’s Phoenix optimism.

Inside JGR and Denny Hamlin’s evolving chemistry and a potential title clash

As the NASCAR Cup Series barrels toward Phoenix, Denny Hamlin’s steady six-win season now faces a subtle, internal twist with Joe Gibbs Racing. While Hamlin continues the search for his first Championship title, whispers of a growing competitive spark inside the shop hint that momentum may be shifting toward Chase Briscoe’s side of the garage.

Crew chief James Small, now guiding Briscoe’s No. 19 team, has brought fresh energy and unshakable belief to the operation. “You know, I knew it was going to be tough to get going, but… we had a lot of belief in this team and what we had put together with… Chase and some of the new people,” Small said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

His recalibrated approach, molded after five seasons with Martin Truex Jr., paid off with a gritty Talladega win that locked Briscoe into the Championship 4.

That victory underscored what Small called “a great year,” emphasizing, “We expected that if we all did our jobs right we could perform at this level.” Even JGR competition director Chris Gabehart acknowledged the No. 19’s rise, calling them “a real dangerous combination.”

As Phoenix approaches, with Hamlin, Briscoe, and Christopher Bell all in contention, the atmosphere inside JGR feels less like unity and more like a quiet, determined rivalry.