"It'd be awesome": Denny Hamlin voices his ideal scenario for deciding the NASCAR Champion

Denny Hamlin shared his take on Homestead potentially coming back as the penultimate race of the season in 2026. The racetrack in Miami, Florida, had been the championship hosting venue from 2002 until 2019, when it was replaced by Phoenix Raceway.

However, after a 6-year absence from the spot it held for close to two decades, Homestead is being heavily rumored to make a comeback as the Final 4 weekend venue.

NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin spoke about it on Actions Detrimental, as he pitched his ideal scenario of what the championship-deciding run of races should be. He deemed Homestead's comeback as 'exciting', something that 'deserves to comeback.'

"I really hope it's part of a championship round. I would love, it'd be awesome if it was like Phoenix, Vegas, Miami, like that's the championship round and then every year it just rotates which track is the final. That would be fantastic.

"You got a short track and intermediate and then the super intermediate which is the Homestead that you know it's wildly different than anything that we run. So that would be ideal in my world," Hamlin described.

Having said that, Denny Hamlin pointed out what Jordan Bianchi reported about NASCAR going forward with Homestead irrespective of financing coming from the city. For the 23XI Racing driver, this would be a good scenario since NASCAR would put a priority on competition and 'changing things up.'

Hamlin added that when the championship race is at the same venue year after year, it gets 'a little bit stale.'

Denny Hamlin commented on the positive aspects of Phoenix Raceway being the championship host

Speaking on Actions Detrimental earlier this year, Denny Hamlin commented on Phoenix Raceway having an edge over Homestead in certain areas. The #11 driver remarked that Phoenix has 'a little better' infield atmosphere than Homestead, a racetrack which needs some upgrades to become 'up to date' with regards to being a championship venue.

Hamlin further spoke about fans at the racetrack in Arizona, which has been the host of the Final 4 weekend since 2020, as he said:

"Phoenix — regardless of what you think about the racing there — it has all the things that it needs to be a championship weekend. Phoenix fans have always supported that racetrack. Spring, summer, wherever it is, they come out in great numbers The fans just feel like they’re closer. It is more intimate surrounded by these mountains. It’s got everything, if just the racing could be a little better."

Denny Hamlin also pointed out that NASCAR found a tire that could end up uplifting the racing product at Phoenix going forward.