# Denny Hamlin Not Ready for Hail Marys

> Denny Hamlin says he's not ready to throw 'hail marys' with four races left in NASCAR season.
- Title: Denny Hamlin Not Ready for Hail Marys · Road & Track
- Summary: Denny Hamlin says he's not ready to throw 'hail marys' with four races left in NASCAR season. Denny Hamlin believes he needs more time to close the gap with…
- Keywords: denny hamlin, kyle larson, nascar, championship, phoenix race, nascar cup series, the chase, cars, sports, Denny, Hamlin, Ready
- Source: Road & Track — https://roadandtrack.com/news/a74167900/denny-hamlin-not-ready-for-hail-mary-four-races-remaining-in-nascar-season
- Author: Victoria Beaver
- Published: 2026-10-17T21:42:37+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: denny hamlin, kyle larson, nascar, championship, phoenix race, nascar cup series, the chase, cars, sports
## Denny Hamlin's Championship Status
Denny Hamlin is chasing Kyle Larson for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship with four races remaining.
## Larson's Championship Lead
Kyle Larson leads Denny Hamlin by 49 points and Christopher Bell by 51 points in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.
## Playoff Field Points Gap
Ryan Preece sits at the bottom of the playoff field with 2140 points to Larson's 2367, a 227-point gap separating the entire playoff field.
## Larson's Historic Start
Kyle Larson has the hottest six-race start to the playoffs in NASCAR history with two wins and an average finish of 2.87.
## Phoenix Race Importance
Phoenix is the first race to lock in the Championship Four with a win giving drivers two weeks of breathing room.
## Hamlin's Past Phoenix Loss
Denny Hamlin lost the championship by three points after a Phoenix race last year where he started on pole, led 208 laps, and finished sixth.
## Hamlin's Current Stance
Denny Hamlin says he needs more time to close the gap with Kyle Larson before the NASCAR Championship Four.
## Larson's View on Format
Kyle Larson says the current NASCAR playoff format is what it is now and doesn't matter for the championship.
## Key takeaway

Denny Hamlin believes he needs more time to close the gap with Kyle Larson before the NASCAR Championship Four.