Denny Hamlin addressed claims that he deliberately wrecked Ty Gibbs during their NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at New Hampshire. Speaking on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin dismissed the idea, saying he lacks the talent to intentionally take out another driver. His comments focused on clarifying the events that led to the crash during the Round of 12 opener.
Details of the Incident Between Hamlin and Gibbs
During Lap 110, while battling for 11th place, Hamlin and Gibbs made contact on the track. Hamlin explained that as Gibbs moved down to the middle lane, it cut across Hamlin’s nose, which caused Gibbs’s car to lift and spin. Hamlin said,
“You can see that we were making contact when he pulled down to the middle lane right in front of me,”
Denny Hamlin said.
“We were already together, like it took nothing. And no, I wish I was that good. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have wrecked Chase Elliott when I tried to move him up the racetrack back in 2017. It all depends on what point of the racetrack you’re at.”
Hamlin elaborated on the dynamics of contact in racing, noting that hitting a car depends on whether the driver is “on edge” at that moment. Specifically, he detailed,
“I was pretty much there into Turn 1, and then he moved down to the middle lane to cut the nose off,”
Hamlin explained.
“If you cut across someone’s nose, especially if they’re running really close to you, it will make their car kind of lift up and take off. I think he was just trying to cut across my nose to make me lose air, just to aero block me. I was so close to him, I’m like, ‘Hell no. You’re not going to do that.’ I tried to shove him up to the next lane to get my position. Unfortunately, it spun him out.”
Post-Incident Reactions and Team Dynamics
The clash came as a surprise because both drivers are teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, yet they engaged aggressively on the track. Following the wreck, Hamlin and Gibbs exchanged frustrations over the radio with their respective teams. Hamlin expressed confusion about why Gibbs, who is not competing in the playoffs, raced hard against him. According to Hamlin, he expected Gibbs to support him to help a Joe Gibbs Racing driver secure a strong finish and advance championship hopes.
The Impact and Next Steps for Hamlin and Gibbs
This incident added tension within the Joe Gibbs Racing camp during an important playoff event. With Hamlin fighting to maintain his position in the Round of 12, the collision with his teammate could affect his chances of advancing further. How the team will manage this internal friction moving forward remains to be seen, but the Denny Hamlin Ty Gibbs incident certainly raised questions about teamwork and competition in high-pressure situations.
