Denny Hamlin encountered another Denny Hamlin NASCAR mechanical issue during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway, reviving concerns about his chances for the 2025 championship as technical problems continue to plague his efforts. Early in the event, an issue with the clutch surfaced, echoing recent setbacks that have derailed his pursuit of a long-awaited title.
Clutch Trouble Emerges Early in Phoenix Championship Race
After the opening stage, Hamlin relayed a problem with his vehicle’s clutch, stating the “clutch pedal is long.” Crew chief Chris Gayle responded to Hamlin over the radio, advising him to maintain pressure despite the issue:
“Copy. … Best I can tell you is keep pumping it up for stroke if it stays long.”
— Chris Gayle, Crew Chief. This mechanical challenge emerged shortly after Hamlin secured the pole position and dominated the first 53 laps, only to be overtaken by William Byron, another Championship 4 contender, at the conclusion of Stage 1.
Despite regaining second place at the Stage 2 restart and quickly passing Byron to reclaim the lead, Hamlin was forced to confront the persistent clutch problem. During a caution early in Stage 2, Gayle checked in for an update, receiving a candid assessment from Hamlin:
“It’s long. I pump it up, I do get a little pedal back,”
— Denny Hamlin, Driver. He continued,
“It’s nothing like stock, but I do have enough to get the gauge right now.”
— Denny Hamlin, Driver. The repeated issues did little to slow Hamlin’s pace, as he continued to pull away from competitors such as Ryan Blaney, another major rival for the title.
Mechanical Setbacks Continue for Hamlin
With the clutch not improving, it was clear Hamlin would need to manage the mechanical setback for the remainder of the race. Nevertheless, his car showed excellent speed on short runs, keeping his championship ambitions alive as long as no further technical failures occurred. The recurring nature of these incidents heightened the tension, especially given recent misfortunes. Just a week prior, a blown engine at Martinsville Speedway had ended Hamlin’s day early, and a throttle glitch at Talladega Superspeedway had hampered his run the week before that. September saw him struggle with power steering at Kansas Speedway.
Reflecting on his persistent struggles, Hamlin commented after the Talladega event:
“Nothing would absolutely suck worse than to go to Phoenix and have a mechanical or something happen that took your opportunity to achieve your dream out,”
— Denny Hamlin, Driver. He further outlined the scope of his year’s frustrations:
“And so, we’ve had some issues with batteries and starters and clutches and just lots this year. I had all three.”
— Denny Hamlin, Driver.
What Repeated Technical Problems Mean for Hamlin’s Title Chase
Hamlin’s ongoing battle with mechanical challenges at Phoenix and during the preceding Cup Series events emphasizes the precarious nature of his title pursuit. With rivals like William Byron and Ryan Blaney in contention, each technical setback increases the pressure on Hamlin and his team. Persistent issues with the car’s systems—highlighted by clutch, battery, starter, and power steering problems—are threatening to eclipse what has otherwise been a competitive season. Should these problems persist, they will likely remain a significant storyline as the Cup Series progresses toward the championship’s conclusion and into the 2025 season.
