Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggests Denny Hamlin could feel like he's on 'delicate ice' heading into Phoenix championship

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has watched Denny Hamlin have a couple of frustrating weekends since his victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That has him a bit concerned heading into the championship-deciding race in Phoenix.

The NASCAR Hall of Famer voiced his concerns on the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download. Even if Hamlin already turned his attention to the desert, Earnhardt Jr. is thinking the veteran’s struggles at Talladega and Martinsville could have an undesirable effect in Phoenix.

“He might feel like he’s on a little delicate ice,” Earnhardt Jr. stated. “I don’t know. … I’ve been a little bit surprised by Denny’s (words), ‘It’s always something, it’s something every week, it’s one of the three things that happens every week,’ right? He’s had these comments to the media, and I’ve been like, ‘Man, Denny’s not holding back as much as he used to.’

“There’s always been problems. There’s always been things. Maybe he’s having a little bit more of the mechanical woes than traditional. But he’s had a really good year too, at the same time. I’m a little surprised. I guess he’s at that point in his career where he’s like, ‘I don’t give a shit.’ I’m just going to get out of the car and go, ‘Yeah, this sucks.’

“… William Byron’s going in there not worrying about that thing’s breaking. Now, Denny might be a little less confident.”

It’ll be up to Hamlin to keep it all in perspective, but one thing he is worrying about heading into Phoenix is unnecessary yellow flags. Only four drivers will be competing for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix, but that doesn’t mean all the other teams stay home for the weekend.

For those drivers who find themselves not racing for anything meaningful late in the race, Hamlin has a message he wants to get across to them. Simply put, bring it to the finish line — there’s no need to “bring out a caution for no particular reason,” he said on Monday’s Actions Detrimental podcast.

“Once you get inside 30, 50 laps to go and you’re like 20th or worse, by the way this weekend, do me a favor and please don’t bring out a caution for no particular reason. Like, let’s just get it to the finish, fellas. You gotta see the finish line,” Hamlin said. “You wanna let these things play our naturally but sometimes, a caution does come out late and that is what’s natural.”

Alas, it’s evident Hamlin would hate to see something like an unnecessary yellow flag stop him from winning his first championship. He absolutely does not want to see a scenario play out like what we saw this past Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, where Carson Hocevar brought out the final caution late in Stage 3. 

Time will tell how it all goes for Hamlin. Earnhardt Jr. will be watching with a keen interest, wondering if a veteran wheelman he once raced against will finish the job in the desert.

— On3’s Nick Geddes contributed to this article.