Denny Hamlin Questions NASCAR’s Team-Sport Spirit as William Byron’s Phoenix Advantage Exposes Major Pit-Road Flaw

Pit stops are an underrated facet of NASCAR. The effect of the quality of pitstops on a driver’s race has often been underlying and, as a result, is ignored by many. The Championship 4 races are often a great platform for pit crews to show their importance on the grand stage. However, the recently concluded Final 4 race at Phoenix has undergone some scrutiny from drivers and experts alike. Joe Gibbs Racing ace Denny Hamlin has dissected the discussion in the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental.

The onset of the championship race triggered a change in rules on the pit road. Usually, top-placed qualifiers are placed through the pit lane in a descending order. But in the case of the season finale, the final 4 receive an advantage and occupy the first four pit stalls, which can be attributed to champion Ryan Blaney staying close to the front row despite finishing 15th in the qualifying race.

Denny Hamlin points out William Byron’s advantage at Phoenix

William Byron secured the most beneficial position in the race after clocking the best time in the qualifying session on Saturday. Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate and title rival Kyle Larson was the only other final 4 driver to finish in the top 5. However, with the race ruling out any loss of pit stall position further than fourth, there was something positive to take for the drivers.

Denny Hamlin broke down the pit stall situation as he explained the benefits that Byron had on Sunday. Denouncing NASCAR’s rules that separated the drivers behind Byron by a distance, he said, “Eventually, something has to wear down, and it’s usually the tires that do that. He put up a great effort. A valiant effort trying to hold off what was the fastest car of the weekend, which is the #12 of Blaney.”

Hamlin went on, “The #24 made it out on the pit road and took the lead 2-3 times on the pit road. I guess, I see this both ways, but there’s a long gap between the Camaro at the end of the pit road and where the yellow line is, where they stop. Do we have to give the No.1 pit box that big of an advantage? I’m wondering it’s such a big race. If we had another champion decided on pit road, is that really… I mean, it is a team sport, so… It is.”

William Byron was able to capitalize on it as he went on to win the first stage. Kyle Larson’s pit crew could have propelled him to another championship, like in 2021. An incredible pit stop in the second stage put him ahead of Byron, who entered the pit road ahead of everyone including Blaney. This is where Blaney’s usage of the situation came into play, as he pushed for the pass on Larson, which he realized later in the race.

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Hamlin demands for equality in pit stalls in championship races

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While Byron fell behind Larson in the final pecking order to finish fourth, that was a surprising development considering it was Ross Chastain who won the race. The #1 Camaro driver had no such prior advantage as the four contenders. Yet, he managed to lead 157 out of 312 laps in the race. For Denny Hamlin, the pit crew members must be allowed to prepare for an optimal exit from the pit road.

The uncertainty of the championship winner being decided in the pit lane concerns the 42-year-old most. He added, “You want to give the pit crew guys a chance, and it is up to the driver and the team to keep putting themselves in position for the pit crew to put them out first. But it is a considerable time difference in having the No.1 stall versus having the fifth stall.”

Brad Keselowski‘s spotter for the #6 team, TJ Majors, also claimed the pit road placements earlier in a recent episode of the podcast Door Bumper Clear. He voiced his criticism, saying,

“I think that’s dumb. I think it should be the same as it always is. You qualify like sh*t; you should get a sh*t pit stop. I think if you qualify 15th, and I think 20 was behind that, they should get the 15th/16th best stops. That’s part of it.”

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While Denny Hamlin and TJ Majors address different issues, NASCAR needs to look more closely into this to ensure fair competition among the drivers and not grant empirical advantages based on the standings.