NASCAR Phoenix 2014: Denny Hamlin determined not to let another championship get away

The position is a familiar one for Denny Hamlin, who can take a significant step toward winning a first championship with a strong run Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Four years ago, Hamlin came into Phoenix, the penultimate race on the schedule, holding a commanding 33-point lead over Jimmie Johnson. If Hamlin could add to that advantage slightly or even just maintain, the title would be all but his.

And for much of that race Hamlin looked to be in control, leading 190 of 312 laps, all the while Johnson, the then four-time defending series champion, was lagging in the back half of the top-10.

But a long 73-lap stretch of green-flag racing proved decisive. Unable to conserve fuel, Hamlin was forced to pit, while most others, including Johnson, gambled on making it to the finish without stopping. Johnson eked out a fifth-place result, with Hamlin finished 12th.

A once comfortable lead was trimmed to just 16 points, leaving Hamlin despondent and questioning his team. Conversely, given new life, Johnson was rejuvenated and confident leaving Phoenix.

In the season finale the next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hamlin was a bundle of nerves, still shaken by what had transpired. That was reflected when he qualified a disappointing 37th, then spun 25 laps into the race. With Johnson finishing second and Hamlin a distant 14th, Johnson easily took a fifth consecutive championship.

The circumstances as well as the Chase for the Sprint Cup format, are significantly different than they were in 2010, nonetheless Hamlin again finds himself in control of his title hopes.

Tied atop the standings with Joey Logano, Hamlin is 13 points clear of the Chase cutline. An 11th-place finish Sunday and Hamlin is guaranteed of being one of four drivers advancing to the championship finale.

“I don’t feel like our performance is as high of a level now as it was then, so that’s also more of an obstacle,” Hamlin said. “But you still have the opportunity, and with this format it created an opportunity for us to put ourselves in a good position where we can control our own destiny.

“I feel like this year the pressure on our race team is a lot less than what it was in 2010. The expectations are a lot less from the media and the fans’ perspective. With that, you just race a little bit looser. I’ve been in this position before and nerves aren’t going to be an issue. But everyone’s gotta do their part, including myself.”

The key Sunday will be avoiding the madness which has consumed much of this year’s Chase and staying clear of what is expected to be a volatile race featuring eight drivers desperate to move on to Homestead.

Several Chasers, including Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick, are essentially in must-win situations where a victory is their only and likeliest means to advance. Not surprisingly, as the weekend has played out, Keselowski and Harvick have emerged as the favorites.

Harvick won the spring Phoenix race and owns five victories overall. No driver has won more races this season than Keselowski (six), who’s been fast just about everywhere and finished third behind Harvick and Logano back in March.

Both Harvick and Keselowski have been consistently among the fastest in practice. But it was Hamlin who was quickest in qualifying, amazing himself by grabbing the pole over Keselowski and Harvick, who will start second and third, respectively.

“Definitely out of the blue from my perspective, I didn’t think we had a pole-winning car by any means,” Hamlin said. That was a little unexpected, but showed us that we have speed in our car. We just have to figure out how to get it optimized for 312 laps around this race track on Sunday.”

Rarely lacking confidence, the pole run elevated Hamlin’s optimism to an even higher level. But having learned how quickly one’s fortune can change in the Phoenix desert, Hamlin is leaving nothing to chance.

“There is no backing into this thing and coasting our way to Homestead,” Hamlin said. “We have to go out there and perform at a high level or else we’re not going to make it. There are too many other cars that are too good for us to think that we’re just going to ride around and take our spot.”