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Chase Briscoe was among the drivers who had a flat tire in the 50-minute session.<\/p>\n
Two weeks later, Hamlin shed tears when he won at Las Vegas, reaching 60 career Cup victories \u2014 likely to become the high-water mark moving forward in this competitive era of the sport. Reaching that milestone when his father, who has been ill for an extended period, could see it added to the moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most emotional, sentimental win I had was my last,\u201d Hamlin said this week. \u201cI just can\u2019t think of another that meant as much to me as that one. This weekend could certainly trump that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hamlin can see himself winning this championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a visualizing-type person,\u201d he said. \u201cI do visualize what it would be like. I also understand that there\u2019s just so much work to be done between now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Byron\u2019s highs and lows have come on the track. He led nearly half the race at Michigan in June but ran out of fuel while in second coming to the white flag. A few weeks later, Byron ran out of fuel on the last lap at Indianapolis while running third.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Kyle Larson and William Byron will race for title for Hendrick Motorsports Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.<\/p>\n Byron got to celebrate a fuel-mileage win when he took the checkered flag at Iowa in August. That put him back into the points lead and he went on to win the regular season title.<\/p>\n Byron\u2019s chances of earning a third consecutive Championship 4 appearance appeared in jeopardy after the first two races in the Round of 8. Unaware that Ty Dillon was pitting, Byron slammed into him while running second at Las Vegas, ending his race. The following week at Talladega, Byron was spun while running fifth coming to the finish line. That put Byron in a must-win situation at Martinsville.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s been a lot of work, a lot of heartbreak this year,\u201d Byron said after his Martinsville victory. \u201c \u2026 You just channel those things, learn from them. If you can learn from them, they become positives. They become things you lean on in the moment. For some people they become scars and things you can\u2019t get past. For me, I found a way to flip that script.\u201d<\/p>\n Larson won three of the first 12 races this year and it seemed inevitable that he would race for the championship. Results waned and he went six races during the summer without leading a lap. All of Hendrick Motorsports struggled in the playoff opener at Darlington, but Larson\u2019s results improved by the Round of 12, leading him back to this race.<\/p>\n \u201cThat made us build some mental toughness, I feel like, and work extra hard,\u201d Larson said of the summer struggles. \u201cThis year has been really rewarding. Getting to the final four is very rewarding. I would want nothing more than to cap off the hard work with a championship.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n