AVONDALE, Ariz. — Denny Hamlin managed a smile but conceded returning to Phoenix Raceway still stung a bit for the veteran, who dominated the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship in November — leading 208 of the 319 laps — only to miss out on the title after a strategy call didn’t pan out on an overtime restart.
The 45-year-old 60-race winner returns to Phoenix ranked 23rd in the standings and will start his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 11th on the grid for Sunday’s race.
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“I’m still angry at the track a little bit,” said Hamlin, who had looked to have finally claimed the first championship of his highly decorated two-decade career. “But the track doesn’t have a soul, so it can’t feel the things I feel.
“You’ve still got to come in here and start the whole process over again and do all the right things and see where the result pans out this time. Haven’t had a whole lot of races since we were here for the championship, so just trying to get acclimated with where we are at this point and seeing if we can we replicate some of the magic we had.”
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In 41 career Cup Series races at Phoenix, Hamlin has prospered, winning twice, tallying 17 top fives and compiling 24 top-10 results. His 1,147 laps led all-time at the track rank third among all drivers, and he was one of only five drivers to finish inside the top 10 in both Phoenix races in 2025.