On the last day before the finale race at Phoenix Raceway, the garage might be alive with precision and purpose, but the drivers themselves are taking a different approach. With the pressure of a season’s worth of work coming down to one final race, most of the Championship 4, including William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Chase Briscoe, are keeping their cool, choosing calm over chaos and rest over extra preparation.
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Byron, the Hendrick Motorsports contender chasing his first Cup title, said that his strategy for the final night doesn’t involve data sheets or simulator laps. For him, switching off is part of staying sharp.
“Just have some kind of personal time and some friends and family that are in town. It seems like everyone kind of comes by the weekend. Yeah, just kind of do all that stuff and try to keep yourself in whatever feels normal to you.” Byron’s focus is on balance, soaking in the moment without letting the stakes dictate his every move.
Larson, who has been in the pressured championship weekends before, echoed the sentiment. The 2021 Cup champion plans to keep things simple. He stated that he will treat the day normally, get dinner with friends and family, watch the Xfinity race, and probably catch Game 7 of the World Series.
For Larson, routine is the secret weapon. While he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll spend the night in his house or on the bus, he won’t lose sleep over Sunday’s showdown. In fact, he plans on fighting that battle when it comes.
For Joe Gibbs Racing’s rising star, Briscoe, family time will take center stage. The Indiana native finds comfort in the chaos of parenthood, even on the sport’s biggest stage. “For me, I’ll go back and probably listen from my wife how bad the kids have been, how hard it’s been all day. Then maybe change a diaper, potentially. Hopefully not. Yeah, just go to dinner with my family. Probably look at some data to figure out why I’m so slow (smiling).”
While the championship hopefuls eased into their evening, Denny Hamlin sent a message loud and clear. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, chasing his elusive first Cup title, captured the pole position for Sunday’s Championship Race, staking an early claim to Phoenix supremacy. Meanwhile, his fellow contenders, Byron and Larson, are slotting in second and third. Briscoe will roll off from 12th.
For now, Hamlin will stand on the front row with momentum on his side, but Sunday will tell if he can finally turn potential into the ultimate prize. And for the others, Byron, Larson, and Briscoe, the night before the storm is all about staying steady before chasing glory under the Arizona sun.
