NASCAR Cup Series

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers bond by hiking up a mountain

Published Nov. 15, 2016 3:17 p.m. ET

Chase Wilhelm

Joe Gibbs Racing is feeling the heat in the Valley of the Sun.

Three of the four drivers will be fighting for the two remaining spots in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship 4 in Sunday's Can-Am 500 elimination race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Carl Edwards is locked in with a win at Texas Motor Speedway, which leaves Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth to battle with Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch.

But before Saturday's two round of practice, the JGR brigade felt the heat in a different kind of way by hiking up one of the mountains near the track.

Team-building exercises for the win.

Hamlin even joked that a hiking mishap could help his own Chase fate.

We made it to the top! @KyleBusch@ @mattkenseth #carledwards pic.twitter.com/Bm7VAvZ4mN
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 12, 2016

These boys better be looking over their shoulder today.. Lil nudge up here and I could grab my chase spot early pic.twitter.com/t3U59SMAeh
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 12, 2016