Denny Hamlin took responsibility for his second-place finish to Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell at Phoenix Raceway, acknowledging tactical errors in the final laps of the Shriners Children's 500.

Speaking on his 'Actions Detrimental' podcast after the race, Hamlin admitted he should have handled the last-lap battle differently. His key mistake was giving Bell the bottom lane instead of staying behind him to push him up the track in the final corners.

The crucial moment came during a two-lap shootout to the finish. While Hamlin briefly led on the outside after receiving a push from Kyle Larson, Bell maintained position on his left rear. The teammates raced side-by-side without contact until Bell's aggressive move in Turns 3 and 4 forced Hamlin into the dirty part of the track.

Hamlin drew parallels to a similar situation from his 2019 New Hampshire race against Kevin Harvick, where he made the same tactical error. "I didn't learn my lesson the first time," Hamlin reflected, explaining how he should have used the bottom lane to his advantage instead of getting trapped on the outside.

"I'm more mad at myself than anything," Hamlin concluded, acknowledging that while the racing was clean between teammates, his strategic decisions cost him the victory. This self-awareness shows how even veteran drivers continue learning from race situations, particularly in crucial final-lap scenarios.

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