Denny Hamlin delivered a straightforward message regarding his recent clash with Ty Gibbs during the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 21. The Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver expects clear directives from team leadership to prevent similar confrontations as tensions between the two teammates continue to simmer.
The friction between Hamlin and Gibbs escalated during their wheel-to-wheel battle at Loudon, where they raced intensely for over ten laps. Multiple contacts between the two drivers culminated in Hamlin spinning Gibbs out of the competition. While Hamlin admitted some responsibility, he insisted the contact was unintentional and part of his effort to overtake Gibbs. The fallout was severe for Gibbs, who suffered a broken toe link forcing an early exit, while Hamlin finished in 12th place.
Hamlin Calls for Team Rules Amid Rising Friction
During a recent episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin reflected on the rivalry, highlighting how Gibbs was using aero blocking tactics despite not being in title contention. Hamlin emphasized the need for guidance from Joe Gibbs Racing’s leadership to establish expectations on how teammates should compete on track.
“What I want to happen is just leadership step in and tell us what what do you want us to do? If you want us all to just race each other cutthroat, no matter what your position is in and in stature in the standings, we can definitely do that. Like, I expect myself and the 19 and the 20 to race really really hard because we’re all battling each other to get above this cut line.”
— Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver
“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 want to do.’ That’s just, none of us are going to win,”
— Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver
Hamlin elaborated that he expects non-playoff drivers to give way to those still vying for the championship, hoping that Gibbs will adopt this mindset. According to Hamlin, failure to do so disrupts the natural flow of competition and reduces their chances of collective success.
Joe Gibbs Urges Drivers to Resolve Differences On their Own
Following the incident, team owner Joe Gibbs chose to remain neutral regarding the disagreement between Hamlin and Gibbs. Although Hamlin voiced frustration over the radio at the time, accusing Gibbs of failing to adhere to team strategies, Joe Gibbs has expressed optimism that the drivers will reconcile independently.
“It’s always the drivers that have to handle that. They’re the ones that got the wheel, and so I think that’s always the case…..those guys will get together on their own and figure it out.”
— Joe Gibbs, Team Owner
This incident contributed to a significant shakeup in the playoff standings. Hamlin slipped from a leading position to fifth place, now trailing behind teammate Christopher Bell, who occupies fourth. Another JGR contender, Chase Briscoe, sits eighth, maintaining a 12-point cushion above the cutoff line for the playoffs.
Impact on JGR and NASCAR Playoff Race
The rivalry between Hamlin and Gibbs has introduced stress and uncertainty within the Joe Gibbs Racing team, with potential consequences for their championship bids. Hamlin’s call for leadership intervention underscores the challenges of managing fierce competition among teammates in high-stakes scenarios. Failure to align on race conduct rules could diminish JGR’s chances of securing a title.
With the playoffs intensifying, tensions like these will likely influence driving decisions and team dynamics moving forward. How JGR addresses this internal conflict may determine whether their drivers can maintain focus on the championship pursuit or continue to be hampered by on-track disagreements.
