At the Southern 500 race in Darlington, Hendrick Motorsports faced significant struggles, with none of their cars finishing in the top 10. Veteran driver Denny Hamlin openly criticized Rick Hendrick’s team for their disappointing results, highlighting that the Hendrick drivers unexpectedly fell behind at the event. Hamlin’s remarks emphasized his surprise and frustration about Hendrick’s poor showing during the race weekend.
Hendrick’s Chevrolet team, generally considered a top competitor, failed to meet expectations at Darlington. Chase Elliott ended the race in 17th place, while Kyle Larson finished even further back at 19th. William Byron and Alex Bowman experienced even worse outcomes, placing 21st and 31st respectively. Despite this disappointing performance, former Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. remained optimistic, expressing confidence that Rick Hendrick would restore the team’s competitiveness by the next Playoff race scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
Denny Hamlin, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Toyota, acknowledged that Hendrick Motorsports struggled at the Southern 500, although he hinted that not all of the blame rested solely on the team. He noted several complications, particularly for Chase Elliott, who was impacted by an unfortunate race strategy due to a caution period. Hamlin also suggested that Kyle Larson’s car damage affected his race outcome.
“The Hendrick guys, obviously, the result was bad. I think they were better than that, I think they’re getting, the fans are getting a little too overzealous on like, wow, they performed 17th or worse. They did not. The 9 obviously got caught on his strategy, unfortunately, by that yellow. That hurt him. Larson, more than likely, had toe link damage, if I had to guess.”
—Denny Hamlin, on Actions Detrimental podcast
Further, Hamlin criticized the performances of William Byron and Alex Bowman, suggesting that neither driver was able to connect with their cars effectively. His comments revealed clear disappointment, especially with Bowman, for whom Hamlin admitted he held low expectations heading into Darlington.
“Byron wasn’t good. And then the 48, I don’t know. … So, I don’t know. Surely it altered the result, surely it changed his result but I just don’t know if the 48 was going to be that good anyway.”
—Denny Hamlin
Positive Results for Hamlin’s 23XI Racing at Darlington
While Hendrick Motorsports struggled, Denny Hamlin’s own team, 23XI Racing, delivered a strong performance at the Southern 500. Co-owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing competes with Toyota cars and maintains a close technical partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing.
At Darlington, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, both driving for 23XI, stood out with competitive showings. Bubba Wallace impressed particularly in the first stage of the race, demonstrating solid pace and overtaking Hamlin’s car. Tyler Reddick also made notable progress, maneuvering through the field aggressively before ultimately falling short in a closely contested battle with Chase Briscoe on the final lap.
“Yeah, 23XI had a really good day. You know, Bubba, I thought in the first stage was super strong. He passed us and was kinda catching the 19 before he pitted. Reddick got back on the horse with speed. I thought he was going to pass the 19. I thought he was leaps and bounds faster than he was at the end of the race. Obviously, the dirty air and whatnot, he wasn’t going to get around him.”
—Denny Hamlin
What This Means for the NASCAR Playoffs and the Future
Denny Hamlin’s candid criticisms of Hendrick Motorsports highlight the current tensions and challenges among top NASCAR teams as the Playoffs approach. While Hendrick continues to face difficulties finding their rhythm, Hamlin’s 23XI Racing looks poised to maintain a competitive edge, with both Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick positioned favorably for the postseason.
Despite the strong performances by some, the unpredictable nature of NASCAR means that standings can change rapidly in upcoming races. As Hamlin and his team prepare for the next Playoff event, the spotlight will remain on Hendrick Motorsports to recover and reassert themselves as championship contenders, while 23XI Racing aims to build on their momentum and achieve further success.
