After two decades of near misses, Denny Hamlin enters Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway with the weight of unfinished business on his shoulders. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, now in his 20th full-time season, has come agonizingly close to the sport’s ultimate prize several times, most notably in 2019 and 2020, only to watch the championship slip away in the closing laps.

But now, he’s almost there. Denny Hamlin has won the pole position at Phoenix. His path to redemption may finally run straight through the Arizona desert, one last chance to turn that legacy into legend.

Hamlin is one step closer to the title

Denny Hamlin fired the first shot of Championship weekend, scorching Phoenix for the pole in a lap that screamed intent. The Joe Gibbs Racing vet laid down 133.759 mph, edging William Byron by 0.042 seconds.

“We’re trying. We’re doing everything we can, but really proud of this whole progressive Toyota team. We’ve worked hard at it, and hopefully we get the payoff tomorrow.” Hamlin said.

Payoff means the crown: 60 Cup wins, three Daytona 500s, but no title. This is his fifth pole this year, and perhaps, the most important one of his life. He topped final practice too, and JGR’s long-run pace looks locked.

“Execution is going to matter more than anything. We’re starting in a great spot, but we’ve got to do all the right things. Let’s execute the entire day, and that’s going to rest on my shoulders, so I’ll do the best I can,” he added.

Phoenix tests mind and machine with flat turns and a rough surface. Next Gen champions have all started inside the top five in the past three years: Larson in 2021, Logano in 2022, and Blaney in 2023. A pole here gives clean air and control.

Hamlin’s Phoenix Next Gen average is just outside the top five, with a best of third in 2023. He has led laps in three of the last four races. JGR dialed in moderate camber and higher pressure for stability over flash. They avoided the right-rear wear issues that hit Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs in practice.

Crew chief Chris Gabehart said, “We wanted to make sure we can attack the race, not just qualifying. We’ve seen what happens when teams go too aggressive here; it’s about making your stuff live.” JGR has been measured all postseason, with the best average finish among the four finalists over the last 10 races. No overreach.

Past Phoenix starts have often seen Hamlin mid-pack, like in 2021 and 2023, where he fought through traffic. Now, he’s in the front row. “Track position has always been key here,” Hamlin said. “You just don’t want to put yourself in a bad situation early. Starting up front gives us a chance to control what we can.”

This 2025 season has been one of his best, with six wins, 14 top-fives, and 17 top-10s. Toyota’s aerodynamic jump has helped. He’s the favorite for a reason. Larson brings the 2021 blueprint, Byron brings Martinsville heat, and Briscoe has nothing to lose. But Hamlin’s precision gives him the edge.

The pole declares intent. “We’ve done everything right to this point. Now it’s just about doing our job. No distractions, no excuses.” he said.

He grinned as he walked away. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow. It’s in our hands now.” A sharp car, a sharp mind, it looks like Hamlin’s wait may finally end on Sunday. Hamlin’s front-row start comes as NASCAR faces an off-track storm.

Steve Phelps pushes for peace

NASCAR president Steve Phelps spoke at length about the 23XI and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit during his State of the Sport address on Friday.

“We are trying our hardest. I am trying my hardest both as a fan as well as the commissioner of this sport that I’ve loved since I was five years old. While two of the 15 teams may not share that view and seem set on an unfortunate court battle, I hope that we can all agree that our racing is as good as it has ever been and we care about how we serve our fans, especially as we look forward to capping off our season by celebrating new champions across all of our national series,” he said.

The trial begins on December 1 after settlement talks failed. A judge dismissed NASCAR’s counterclaim earlier this week.

Phelps defended the charter system, saying, “Healthy race teams are critical to our sport. We’ve been true to our word. From the outset, we’ve been clear this is not an antitrust case.”

The 2025 deal extends the 2016 framework, totaling $3 billion in payments, $1.5 billion in value, guaranteed starting spots, Next Gen stability, and a 14-year term through 2039, built on good faith.

“We are proud of what we built for fans together with the race teams, especially since the charters were introduced,” Phelps added. “As you saw in the race team declarations, the charter system is a critical part of the sport, something we created with and for the teams. We’ll continue to defend and preserve it. Make no mistake, the lawsuit puts this at risk.”

Hamlin’s 23XI Racing leads the lawsuit, making his pole chase and the court battle run in parallel. Phelps wants the focus on racing and resolution later. Execution on track, peace off it.

As Hamlin’s pole shines bright, the lawsuit’s shadow lingers. While Phelps fights for unity, Hamlin fights for the crown. And Phoenix will decide both.