Denny Hamlin suggests Phoenix is paying NASCAR to retain Championship race

Denny Hamlin doesn’t believe Phoenix is the best track for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, and he has a theory for why the sport is returning there again next season.

Over the last few months, Hamlin has been clamoring for the title-deciding race to move to a different track, for at least one season. However, the No. 11 wheelman thinks Phoenix, or the state of Arizona, is paying NASCAR too much money for them to think about changing the location.

“It sounds like, to me, that Phoenix is paying NASCAR,” Hamlin theorized, regarding NASCAR staying at the track another season for their championship race, via latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast. “I mean, we don’t see any of that, but it sounds like Phoenix, the state or the city — I know Phoenix is not a state, it’s in Arizona. But I believe they’re paying NASCAR for it to be there.

“So that’s kind of how that works, in most championship events, like Super Bowls and NBA All-Star Games, and stuff like that. The city will chip in to get the opportunity to host it, because it makes an economic impact. So I think that, you know, that’s a source of revenue for NASCAR. They would certainly, probably rather have, you know, the money in their pockets, versus going somewhere that makes more sense, from a competition standpoint. But you also cannot argue the fact that Phoenix fans turn out.”

While Hamlin painted his accusation in a negative light, he still credited Phoenix for their hosting capabilities, and relented that some work with Goodyear and NASCAR’s tires could make for some better racing.

“They sell out, in the spring, in the fall. They come out. Phoenix people come out, so it gets rewarded, through things like that. I can’t fault it. I certainly see all sides of it, for sure. It doesn’t put on the best racing. I think it’s more of a tire thing than it is anything, and we’re working on that this weekend. So we’re trying to get it better, for sure,” Hamlin added. “Because everyone wants a good race, and everyone wants to put on the best show possible. Phoenix doesn’t do that right now, but maybe we can hit something this weekend that we can take to Phoenix, that can change the game and make people not so down on Phoenix, because it has everything else.

“It’s a great sports town. There’s so much to do around the racetrack itself. Add on the fact that they’re probably getting millions from the state or the city, it makes perfect sense for NASCAR.”

Phoenix hasn’t put on the best racing, but maybe Denny Hamlin and the rest of the NASCAR Cup Series will figure something out to improve the track when the engines start in North Wilkesboro this weekend.