In a recent episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast on Dirty Mo Media, Denny Hamlin emphasized the need for intervention from Joe Gibbs Racing’s leadership to address tensions among teammates during the NASCAR postseason. Hamlin said that for progress to be made, leadership must step in and clearly define expectations for on-track behavior as the championship battle intensifies.
“What I want to happen is leadership (to) step in and tell us, what do you want us to do?”
Hamlin stated.
“If you want us all to just race each other cut-throat, no matter what your position is in the stature of the standings, we can definitely do that. Like I expect myself and the 19 (Briscoe) and the 20 (Bell) to race really, really hard because we’re all battling each other to get above this cutline or maintain our status above the cutline. If I get eliminated or the 19 gets eliminated or the 20 gets eliminated, and then we’ve established this ‘no rules — you guys just do whatever you wanna do,’ none of us are going to win.”
Past Leadership Intervention Set Racing Boundaries
Hamlin noted that previously, team owner Joe Gibbs himself had stepped in to manage conflicts among teammates and set clear boundaries for how they should compete against one another. Such guidance helped define conduct standards that allowed the team to maintain unity during critical races.
Recent Incident Raises Questions About Teammate Conduct
The tension escalated after Hamlin made contact that resulted in a wreck involving his teammate Ty Gibbs. While Hamlin described the contact as a “mistake,” he also questioned Gibbs’ driving approach during the incident. Hamlin pointed out that he, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe are all vying for the championship on behalf of the Gibbs family.
Ty Gibbs, who failed to qualify for this year’s Cup playoffs, refrained from commenting on the incident beyond expressing his focus on upcoming races when asked by NBC Sports reporter Kim Coon.
Joe Gibbs, a Hall of Fame NFL coach and experienced NASCAR team owner, commented on the situation saying,
“Those guys are the ones driving the cars, so … those guys will get together on their own and figure it out.”
Implications for the NASCAR Playoffs and Team Dynamics
The ongoing conflict among the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers threatens to affect their performance as they compete fiercely to advance in the postseason. With Hamlin urging leadership to intervene and clarify team conduct policies, the resolution could determine whether the team can preserve unity and improve their championship prospects. How team leadership chooses to manage internal rivalries in the coming weeks may have lasting impact on the dynamics of the race and the futures of its drivers.
