Denny Hamlin reflects on his strategic mistake that cost him the win against teammate Christopher Bell in the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

"I'm more mad at myself than anything," Hamlin admitted on his 'Actions Detrimental' podcast, hours after the race. He specifically regrets giving Bell the bottom lane during the final lap battle.

The crucial moment came after a restart with two laps to go. While Hamlin briefly led on the outside thanks to Kyle Larson's push, Bell maintained position on his left rear. The decisive move occurred in Turns 3 and 4, where Bell's inside line proved superior.

Hamlin identified his key mistake: "When he slid me and cleared me briefly in Turns 1 and 2 on the white flag lap, I could have just gotten on his bumper entering Turn 3." Instead of fighting on the outside, Hamlin believes he should have followed Bell and moved him up the track, similar to Carl Edwards' past move on Kyle Busch at Richmond.

This mistake reminded Hamlin of a similar situation with Kevin Harvick at New Hampshire in 2019. "I didn't learn my lesson the first time," he reflected, explaining how Harvick had previously outmaneuvered him using the same strategy Bell employed.

The finish, while competitive, remained clean between the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. However, Hamlin's decision-making in the heat of the moment ultimately cost him the victory, proving that even veteran drivers can fall into familiar tactical traps.

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