KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The tension between Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin after their collision at New Hampshire Motor Speedway finally found resolution as Joe Gibbs and team management intervened ahead of the Kansas Speedway race weekend. The ongoing Ty Gibbs Denny Hamlin conflict, which had cast a shadow over the NASCAR playoffs, was addressed directly in a team meeting held on Monday, September 22, signaling an end to the public acrimony between the two drivers.
Prior to this intervention, questions swirled about whether Ty Gibbs would seek retaliation, given his evasive responses in post-race interviews and his apparent support of Kevin Harvick’s accusation that Hamlin’s move on the track was intentional.
Rising Tensions Before the Meeting: Social Media and Public Reactions
Ty Gibbs’ alignment with Kevin Harvick’s claim that Hamlin spun him deliberately was clear from his social media activity, keeping the conflict in public view. Harvick’s comments had added fuel to the fire, thrusting the disagreement into the spotlight for fans and analysts alike. The tension was evident in on-track battles and openly reflected in media interactions both before and during the Kansas race weekend.
Based on Ty Gibbs’ Instagram, he agrees with Kevin Harvick saying that Denny Hamlin spun him intentionally. pic.twitter.com/h2Js2G3euT
John Newby, Journalist
Even Hamlin, while reluctant to delve into details, acknowledged his own heated reactions during the collision.
Team Meeting Brings Calm and Commitment to Cooperation
Joe Gibbs originally appeared to leave the matter in the hands of the drivers after New Hampshire, but the unresolved issues made team management’s intervention necessary. At the Monday meeting, Hamlin, Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, and other team members engaged in candid discussions about improving team dynamics and preventing future conflicts.
Although Joe Gibbs kept a low profile during the Kansas weekend, avoiding media commenting, his role was pivotal in steering the team towards unity and refocusing their efforts on championship goals.
Yeah, all the drivers had an opportunity to speak and to try and come up with a plan, and I think we did our best to to come up with one,
Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
… I definitely got hot under the collar (on track). It went too far on my end, and certainly there’s things that I wish I could have done a little differently.
Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
Others on the team echoed Hamlin’s emphasis on moving forward, without expanding on the specifics of the incident.
Yeah, I mean, I thought that (meeting) was productive, and hopefully we do better moving forward,
Christopher Bell, NASCAR Driver
I think it’s definitely fair to say that a line was crossed (in New Hampshire), and that was bad,
Christopher Bell, NASCAR Driver
We don’t need to get any teammates wrecked. Hopefully we do better moving forward. And yeah, I think that that’s the goal: for us to race each other better moving forward.
Christopher Bell, NASCAR Driver
We had a productive meeting, and I feel optimistic about changes moving forward.
Christopher Bell, NASCAR Driver
Chase Briscoe Highlights Leadership and Lessons for Team Cohesion
Chase Briscoe added a more elaborate perspective, praising Joe Gibbs for his leadership and stressing the importance of teammates supporting each other to win championships. Briscoe compared their situation to that of rival team Penske, which he views as a model of cooperative racing.
I certainly think that things will be different going forward for us, just the teammate side of things, just trying to make it easier for all of us, right?
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
So I definitely think that. It’s unfortunate that stuff has to happen, but typically when you have to have tough conversations, things are normally for the better going forward.
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
I think just us being smarter; you look at Penske, right?
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
They’re probably the best example of just how to help each other out, and they know that the more they can help each other, the better it’s going to be for all of them.
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
It’s something that, truthfully, we probably haven’t done the greatest job at. And that was the conversation essentially, is just we can make it way easier on ourselves. It’s already hard to win a championship as it is. I think Coach (Gibbs) has been in the sport for 32 years and he’s only won five (titles), and you know we’re not doing ourselves any favors, making it as hard as it is just on each other. So yeah, I definitely think that’s better because of it.
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
Briscoe also expressed admiration for Joe Gibbs’ coaching and leadership abilities.
It was certainly my first time where I’ve really ever been in that situation where it’s not a debrief meeting or something with Coach, and I was just mind blown (at) how good he is at just being a coach and just a leader,
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
It makes sense why he’s been successful on the race side of things, but even the coaching side, he’s just so good at it.
Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
Implications for Team Dynamics and Championship Race
While Ty Gibbs has not publicly commented in detail regarding the resolution, the tone from Joe Gibbs Racing drivers suggests that the feud has been settled internally. The focus has now shifted to cooperation on the track, with all parties understanding the importance of teamwork in securing championship success.
The incident and its resolution underscore the challenges of managing competitive spirits within a single team, especially one as high-profile as JGR, where multiple championship contenders compete against each other. Coach Joe Gibbs’ decades of experience and previous successes gave the team the guidance necessary to move past conflict.
The next tests will come as Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin race closely at upcoming events—how they manage on-track battles without collateral damage could determine their ultimate championship outcomes. For now, the message from Joe Gibbs and his drivers is clear: racing as teammates means minimizing internal conflict for the greater good.
TENSIONS. ARE. HIGH. 👀
Denny Hamlin voices some frustration while battling with teammate Ty Gibbs. #NASCARPlayoffs
📺: @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/epxts7yuDJ
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 21, 2025
Ty Gibbs on the incident with Denny Hamlin 👀 https://t.co/WhTNTz1h3H pic.twitter.com/sIsY7Hkan9
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 21, 2025
Based on Ty Gibbs' Instagram, he agrees with Kevin Harvick saying that Denny Hamlin spun him intentionally. pic.twitter.com/h2Js2G3euT
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) September 23, 2025
#NASCAR … Here is what team owner Joe Gibbs says will happen next with Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin after today … pic.twitter.com/1xIfLx9Cum
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) September 21, 2025
.@TyGibbs saw several reporters waiting for him after qualifying. He quickly walked to the other end of pit road and hopped on a golf cart and drove away as @bobpockrass (who speed-walked faster than the rest of us) tried asking a question. Guess that’s a no comment (he could…
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 27, 2025
