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When reflecting on his heart-breaking championship loss, Denny Hamlin took the perspective of former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards in a recent interview. Despite not leaving Phoenix with the championship trophy, the driver of the #11 knew he was the best as he led the race with under five laps to go. While he still doesn't have a Cup title, the 44-year-old said it doesn't define his career.In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the Chesterfield, Virginia native made it known that he felt like he did everything right in the championship race at Phoenix. Unfortunately, a late caution followed by a four-tire pit stop that shuffled him back in traffic cost him the title.Edwards had a similar experience in 2016, where he was leading the title race at Homestead late in the going. However, a caution followed by a wreck on a late-race restart doomed the now-retired driver's chances at the championship. Denny Hamlin echoed what Edwards said months following that 2016 Homestead race as he, like Hamlin, knew what it felt like to be a champion while leading in the late laps of the title race. The three-time Daytona 500 winner might not have the Cup trophy to prove it, but he knew he was the rightful champion in the moment. "To borrow from Carl Edwards, I mean, with five laps to go, I knew what it was like to be a champion. I did everything I was supposed to, and so, you know, 40 seconds or 50 seconds at the end deciding whether I win that championship or not has no bearing on my ability or what I'm capable of. I just don't have the trophy sitting at home, but I know we were the best," Denny Hamlin said.Denny Hamlin took four tires on the last pit stop of the race, while fellow title contender Kyle Larson took two tires, which helped the latter leapfrog into the lead of the championship drivers. On the final restart, Larson finished third and clinched his second career Cup championship. Denny Hamlin on resetting for 2026: "I'll certainly need some time to do that"NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Championship - Source: ImagnIn the wake of a crushing loss in the championship race at Phoenix, Denny Hamlin said he'll need some time to regroup for the 2026 season. While the 13th annual Progressive Keys to Progress event helped put his title loss in perspective, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said it'll be harder to get refocused for 2026 compared to other offseasons.Here's what Hamlin told Sports Illustrated about the Progressive event and how he looks at the offseason:"You know, back to work. You've got to just do the best you can to reset. I'll certainly need some time to do that. But generally speaking, this is the race hangover time. You've got to just take a little break, get a reset, get recharged, you know, it's just this year will probably take a little bit longer than years past."Denny Hamlin recorded a series-high six wins in 2025. His sixth win of the campaign came at Las Vegas, which was his 60th career victory overall.
