Denny Hamlin wins pole for NASCAR's winner-take-all finale - ESPN

AVONDALE, Ariz. — It's all lining up for Denny Hamlin to shed his title as NASCAR's greatest driver to never win a championship.

Hamlin, in his 20th full season, won the pole at Phoenix Raceway in Sunday's winner-take-all NASCAR championship finale. The Cup will be awarded to the highest finisher among Hamlin, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, and William Byron and Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports.

He will lead the field to green for the final race of a season in which Hamlin won a series-high six races, his victory at Las Vegas last month the milestone 60th of his career. That win locked him into the finale with three weeks to prepare — his car and mentally — and has him relaxed and joking ahead of the biggest race of his life.

«I think the benefit was winning in Vegas because I was able to get so much work done before this week. That way this week is not crammed so much,» said Hamlin, who in previous title races has been a range of moods, including 2010 when he was basically stone-faced and silent.

«Been treating it really just like I would any other Phoenix week. There's not much different other than there's just more people truthfully,» he said.

He has an entourage of about 30 friends and family sharing three rental homes in the Phoenix area.

And after Hamlin turned a lap at 133.759 mph in his Toyota to earn the top starting spot — a luxury that gives him first choice of pit stall, a selection that could curb his propensity to earn speeding penalties — the pro-Hamlin crowd has to be loving his chances.

But, he also could be peaking too early in the weekend.

«No whammy!» he laughed and pounded the table when asked if things are going a little too well. He's lost the championship at least six other times,