Denny Hamlin has candidly shared his process of managing the pain from his most recent Denny Hamlin championship heartbreak, following the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series finale at Phoenix. Speaking on his Actions Detrimental podcast nearly two weeks after the race, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran credited valuable support from former teammate Carl Edwards for helping him adjust his outlook after the loss.
Hamlin’s Latest Title Setback and the Role of Carl Edwards
The 2025 Cup Series championship race appeared set for Hamlin to finally secure the elusive title. Controlling much of the event, he won Stage 2 and, despite suffering a mid-race tire issue, found fortune in the timing of a caution which kept him in contention. As the laps ticked down, Hamlin cleared his biggest challengers and seemed poised for his maiden championship. A late twist saw William Byron suffer a tire failure, triggering overtime and reshuffling the championship’s momentum.
Kyle Larson took a strategic risk by changing only two tires, while Hamlin went for four. At the restart, Larson’s gamble worked, allowing him to hold ahead of Hamlin and clinch the championship. The drama and heartbreak of the finish immediately drew comparisons among fans to Carl Edwards’ 2016 title heartbreak at Homestead, where a late-race crash and subsequent caution dashed Edwards’ own hopes and led to his abrupt departure from the sport in early 2017.
Rumors circulated online that Hamlin had immediately called Edwards after the race, but Hamlin clarified on his podcast that this narrative had been misrepresented. Instead, the two did speak in the aftermath, and Hamlin described Edwards’ perspective as instrumental in helping him grapple with the disappointment.
“I had some good conversations with him (Carl Edwards) and where I feel like he has helped me here lately… would be understanding the bigger picture of racing is just a very small part of your life and you’re going to find a lot of gratification outside of that,” he said. “Every time he talks now, I’m very tuned in to what he says, because I respect him so much.” (31:08 onwards) – Denny Hamlin
The guidance and kindness from Edwards, a driver who knows firsthand the devastation of narrowly missing out on a championship, resonated deeply with Hamlin in the days after Phoenix. Hamlin’s near misses now number five in the Championship 4 era, including two runner-up finishes—the first in a memorable duel with Jimmie Johnson in 2010—and this latest, crushing defeat.
“I admire him so much. He said some very kind words to me after the race, and it’s made me feel as though I’ve accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in the sport. Everything else from here on is icing on the cake.” – Denny Hamlin
Though Hamlin remains contracted to race through 2027, he admitted earlier this year that a 2025 championship victory might have prompted him to seriously consider retirement—a signal of just how much the title means after so many years of chasing it.
A Deeper Bond and Familiar Pain: Edwards Reflects on Hamlin
The connection between Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin is rooted in their shared time at Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards joined the organization in 2015 from RFK Racing and, over two competitive seasons, established mutual respect with Hamlin as they battled intense competition and the highs and lows of elite driving. The two crossed paths frequently, with both drivers shaped by moments of heartbreak and resilience.
Appearing on the Dale Jr. Download earlier this year, Edwards looked back on his relationship with Hamlin with a sense of regret that he had not developed it further during their years as teammates, particularly given Hamlin’s extraordinary talent across many types of tracks.
“I’d say Denny,” Edwards said. “Denny’s so good—it blew my mind things he could do in the car. I always wanted to talk to Denny more, to understand how he thought. I could never get Denny to… and I probably didn’t try enough. But I wanted to know what goes through his mind… He’s unbelievable at Martinsville, superspeedways, road courses, mile-and-a-halfs. Every skill set. And he was always getting better… I wish I could have picked Denny’s brain more.” (41:00 onwards) – Carl Edwards
As events unfolded, the two drivers—once defined by their own near-misses for NASCAR’s greatest prize—have managed to find common ground in shared experience. Both Edwards and Hamlin have endured heartbreak at Phoenix and Homestead, marked by restarts and caution flags that have rewritten their legacies just moments before the finish line.
Looking Ahead: Perspective Beyond the Track
Now both veterans of handling intense expectation and stunning disappointment, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards offer each other—and the racing world—a lesson in perspective. Hamlin, though stung by championship heartbreak once again, has channeled Edwards’ advice and now sees his own distinguished career as a source of accomplishment, regardless of whether he ultimately claims the elusive title. Their story stands as a testament to the emotional highs and lows that shape top drivers, offering insight into what keeps competitors like Hamlin returning to the track, race after race.
