The underlying truth behind Denny Hamlin's ominous comments

One of the most dominant, pristine, and borderline perfect championship drives in NASCAR Cup Series history still wasn't meant to be.

After starting on pole position, coming back from a flat tire, leading 208 of 319 laps, and holding a three-second lead with just over two laps to go, Denny Hamlin's championship aspirations still went unrewarded following a late caution and a four-tire final pit stop that mired him back in the field.

The No. 11 Toyota was so dominant, that if the entire race was run under green, Hamlin, based on optimal lap data, would have lapped the entire field.

Unrewarded, but not unrecognized. Millions have paid their respects to Hamlin and his performance, from fans to media members to some of his on-track rivals, including the beneficiary and now two-time champion Kyle Larson.

Still, the heartbreak has been felt perhaps stronger than ever for Hamlin himself, who fell short of a championship while in contention in a season finale for the seventh time in his now 20-year Cup Series career.

While Hamlin put on a brave face afterward, his thoughts have been crystal clear.

For a driver who has so often said he values race wins more than championships, Hamlin certainly wanted this one more than any other.

There was no bigger reason for Hamlin than the fact that his father and lifelong supporter, Dennis Hamlin, is fighting a serious illness and, in the words Denny, he likely won't have another chance to witness him winning a championship.

Hamlin was fighting back tears in a pre-race interview with NBC Sports' Jeff Burton when asked about the meaning of winning a championship for his and Joe Gibbs' family, and he was emotional again when hugging his fiancée, Jordan Fish, beside his car after his heartbreaking defeat. It didn't stop when speaking with the media.

''I really don't have much for emotion right now," Hamlin said. "Just numb about it because I'm just in shock. ... In this moment, I never want to race a car ever again."

Hamlin also told NBC Sports' Dave Burns that "if you can't win that one, I don't know which one you can win", a statement which unfortunately sums everything up perfectly.

The NASCAR Awards banquet ceremony took place just two days after the championship race. Hamlin faced the media once again, and he stole all the attention by seemingly being non-committal about continuing his career.

"I plan to [keep on racing], I have a contract," he said. "But, at this point, there's absolutely no way that I would even – I don't even think about race cars right now. I'm going to need some time with his one."

How many times have we heard "I have a contract" in motorsports? While opt-outs typically come from the team, it's not impossible for a driver to do it himself. Hamlin was asked directly if he will continue racing as planned, and there was never a definitive, 100% "yes" answer.

Joe Gibbs also approached Hamlin after the race at Phoenix, and he was caught appearing to say, "thank you for the years." Could it simply be an owner telling his driver how proud he is, or does he know something else?

The past four days have felt ironically similar to what happened with another Joe Gibbs Racing driver nine years ago.

Remember that historic Sunday at Homestead Miami Speedway in 2016, when Jimmie Johnson tied Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most championships all-time with seven?

Just before that, Carl Edwards had passed fellow Championship 4 competitor Kyle Busch for the lead, and he looked set to finally win his first championship. Then came a late caution, followed by that fateful restart when he and Joey Logano got together. Edwards was sent into the inside wall before being hit again by the oncoming pack.

Edwards was graceful in defeat, and in his post-race interview he said that the No. 19 team would be on fire in 2017. Then, we never saw him race again.

"Homestead was one of the best races I've run in my life," he said. "I knew in those final 20 laps what it felt like to have a championship team run a championship race. That was special."

A veteran driver putting on the performance of his life while in search of his first career championship, only to have it taken away in the final moments on a late restart, through little to no fault of his own – any of that sound familiar?

Edwards has continuously stated he retired because he understood the dangers associated with the sport with respect to factors such as repeated head trauma. But he also mentioned in an interview on the Dale Jr. Download that there were other factors involved.

"I know NASCAR was throwing those cautions to make it more exciting," he said. "That's a fact. I'm going to get to Homestead at the end of 2017 [after another full year of work], I'm going to do everything just right, and they're going to throw a caution with five to go, and we're going to put all of this on a restart? That's a big deal. You have to weigh that."

Hamlin has always given off similar vibes regarding NASCAR's endless drive for entertainment and their controversial playoff system. Heck, Martin Truex Jr. even left the sport just a year ago with somewhat of a sour taste.

Edwards' situation was so shocking because it was such an anomaly. Never does a driver, regardless of age, leave the sport when he's at the top of his game, and leave behind a team that's the powerhouse of the series.

Hamlin led the Cup Series with six wins this season, and he was under a minute away from making it seven. He will have a chip on his shoulder and something to prove next season.

But if he does decide to call it quits, it would be a big shame for Phoenix to be the final moment in a true Hall of Fame career.