Hamlin Claims Pole Position for Championship Race

Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin issued a strong statement for his 2025 championship intentions Saturday afternoon claiming pole position for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

Three of the four championship-eligible drivers – also including Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson – claimed the top three positions in the qualifying session. The fourth, Hamlin’s JGR teammate Chase Briscoe will roll off the grid from 12th position in Sunday’s Championship Race (3 p.m. ET on NBC & Peacock, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota turned in a lap of 133.759 mph around the one-mile Phoenix oval – a slight 0.042-second faster than Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

It marks the sixth pole position for Hamlin on the season – 48th of his career – and perhaps stands to be one of the most impactful.

“We’ve really been working hard and hope it will pay off tomorrow,” said the 44-year-old Virginian Hamlin, a 60-race winner, whose six trophies this season are double that of any championship competitor.

“We’re obviously going to be in a great starting spot there but then obviously we’ve got to make sure we’re doing all the right things the entire day and largely that’s going to rest on my shoulders. And I’m going to do the best that I can.”

Hamlin said winning the pole was certainly a positive but that it did not necessarily provide a huge advantage on the field as close as his competitors typically are to him. But he conceded, the strong qualifying showing among the championship contenders was indicative of the intensity necessary in this high-stakes one-race way that NASCAR decides the title.

Among the four championship eligible drivers, only the 2021 series champion Larson has hoisted the sport’s most acclaimed trophy previously winning from pole position here at Phoenix. His teammate Byron, this year’s Daytona 500 winner comes into the race as the Regular Season Champion and is making his third consecutive appearance in the championship race. Hamlin’s teammate, the 30-year-old Briscoe, is the only one among the four competing in his very first championship bid.

“Certainly, it’s always an advantage to qualify on the pole, there’s never a disadvantage to starting first and having the number one pit stall,” Hamlin said. “So, I don’t know if it directly correlates, but it’s always an advantage.

“Just try to do everything you can to execute,” Hamlin added, . … I just truly believe that tomorrow that the best cars, whoever it is and it could be somebody who qualified 20th – could make their way to the front with the tire and track surface we have right now.

“I think it’s going to be a battle amongst us four with a few others sprinkled in there. It’s going to be fun to watch.”

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – NASCAR Cup Series Championship

(11) Denny Hamlin (P) @, Toyota, 133.759 mph.
(24) William Byron (P) @, Chevrolet, 133.551 mph.
(5) Kyle Larson (P) @, Chevrolet, 133.437 mph.
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 133.249 mph.
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 133.190 mph.
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 133.141 mph.
(21) Josh Berry, Ford, 132.876 mph.
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 132.871 mph.
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 132.787 mph.
(22) Joey Logano, Ford, 132.748 mph.
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 132.699 mph.
(19) Chase Briscoe (P) @, Toyota, 132.680 mph.
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 132.660 mph.
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 132.631 mph.
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 132.577 mph.
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 132.489 mph.
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 132.470 mph.
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 132.431 mph.
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 132.406 mph.
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 132.372 mph.
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 132.368 mph.
(38) Zane Smith, Ford, 132.265 mph.
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 132.261 mph.
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 132.256 mph.
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 132.168 mph.
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 132.144 mph.
(41) Cole Custer, Ford, 132.139 mph.
(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 132.105 mph.
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 131.868 mph.
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 131.839 mph.
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 131.791 mph.
(35) Riley Herbst #, Toyota, 131.584 mph.
(51) Cody Ware, Ford, 131.171 mph.
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 130.804 mph.
(44) JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 129.870 mph.
(66) Casey Mears(i), Ford, 129.660 mph.
(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 128.760 mph.
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
@ = Playoff driver