Richard Petty Defends Denny Hamlin’s Heartbreaking Phoenix Loss: “He Made the Right Call – Traffic Stole the Championship”

PHOENIX – In a moment that will echo through NASCAR history, seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty has delivered a stunning verdict on the 2025 season finale: Denny Hamlin’s four-tire gamble was the correct strategy – and only chaotic traffic on the final restart prevented the No. 11 from claiming its long-awaited title.

Speaking alongside legendary crew chief Dale Inman in an exclusive post-championship breakdown, “The King” dismantled the widespread criticism of Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gabehart, declaring with absolute conviction: “If he hadn’t got blocked by those couple cars, he would’ve beat the 5. Not won the race – beat him clean.”

The drama unfolded on Lap 309 at Phoenix Raceway. William Byron spun, triggering a caution that froze the field with just three laps remaining. Leader Kyle Larson and most contenders bolted for two tires. Hamlin’s No. 11 crew – alone among the front-runners – bolted on four fresh Goodyears, betting big on grip over track position.

The restart was pure pandemonium. Larson launched from the outside lane. Hamlin, pinned on the inside, surged forward as his tires hooked up – only to be swallowed by a wall of slower cars refusing to yield the bottom groove. Larson sliced through the top, seized the lead, and held on through overtime to claim his second Cup title.

Social media exploded. Hashtags like #FireGabehart trended within minutes. Armchair analysts branded the four-tire call “championship suicide.” But Petty – who won 200 races with Inman turning the wrenches – saw genius in the gamble.

“Everybody got two tires except the 11 car – and he got four,” Petty explained. “When they went back green, Larson was outside, Hamlin inside. Side-by-side into Turn 1. Then traffic shot straight through the middle. Hamlin closed fast – you could see the tires working – but he got trapped again. That wasn’t strategy. That was congestion.”

Petty’s defense carries unmatched weight. This is the man who dominated an era when races ended under green, not overtime lotteries. And he didn’t stop at tactics – he indicted the system.

“These teams spend 15, 20 million dollars to race all year,” Petty thundered. “Then NASCAR hands them three tires for the biggest moment? That’s a handicap. You can’t win a championship on one set of stickers.”

Inman proposed a fix: track-specific overtime rules. Five green-flag laps at Phoenix. Ten at Martinsville. Two at Daytona. “Let skill decide it,” he said, “not who gets lucky with a caution and fresh rubber.”

Even Kyle Petty weighed in, praising Larson’s execution while reinforcing his father’s point: “Larson’s lane moved. Denny’s didn’t. The four tires were closing – fast – but the bottom never came to him. That separation decided the race.”

Gabehart, under fire all week, stood firm. “For half a second I wondered about two tires,” he admitted at the NASCAR Awards. “But Larson had to take two – he had no choice. Four was right. The bottom just never cleared.”

Hamlin himself refused bitterness. At the champion’s banquet, he shielded Larson from critics comparing his three-win season to Joey Logano’s controversial 2024 title (17.1 average finish). “If it couldn’t be me, I’m glad it’s him,” Hamlin said. “He’s a great friend. Nobody should question his championship.”

The numbers tell a brutal story: Hamlin led the series with six victories – double Larson’s total – and posted a 7.8 average finish. He won at Las Vegas just weeks earlier in an emotional tribute to his ailing father. Phoenix was supposed to be his coronation.

Instead, it became Larson’s redemption – and Hamlin’s 0-for-19 in title hunts.

Yet Petty’s words may prove prophetic. “This was probably his best chance ever,” The King said of Hamlin. “Everyone was rooting for him. He’ll be back.”

As the confetti settles and engines cool, one truth emerges: championships aren’t just won on strategy – they’re survived in traffic. Hamlin played the perfect hand. The deck simply wasn’t shuffled in his favor.

But with Richard Petty, Dale Inman, and a legion of fans in his corner, Denny Hamlin’s championship story isn’t over. It’s just loading for 2026.

Richard Petty spoke exclusively with Dale Inman on the “Dinner with Racers” podcast. Full episode drops Monday.