In a surprising turn at the USA Today 301 race in New Hampshire, Denny Hamlin collided with his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs, ending Gibbs’ chance to continue the race while Hamlin finished in 12th place. The clash between Hamlin and Gibbs, two members of the same team, has drawn significant attention and raised questions about the internal dynamics at Joe Gibbs Racing during the Round of 12 playoff opener.
A former NASCAR Cup Series driver has publicly weighed in on the incident, holding both Hamlin and Gibbs responsible for the clash that unfolded on the track last weekend.
Veteran Driver Critiques Actions of Both Hamlin and Ty Gibbs
The playoff race at New Hampshire proved chaotic for Joe Gibbs Racing, with Hamlin and Gibbs aggressively competing for position. Hamlin believed Gibbs was crossing the line between them in the standings and retaliated by spinning him out. Meanwhile, Gibbs was determined to assert himself, racing Hamlin hard and even fending off another teammate, playoff contender Christopher Bell. Despite Gibbs not being in the playoffs himself, his aggressive tactics compromised both his and the team’s chances of garnering strong finishes.
Kyle Petty, a 65-year-old former driver, broke down the incident, emphasizing that neither driver was blameless in the unfolding conflict.
Teammates are never supposed to wreck each other,
Petty said.
But that’s in a perfect world, and NASCAR is not a perfect world. We saw it yesterday with Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs, and let me say this, both these guys were wrong.
Petty started by addressing Gibbs’s conduct. He acknowledged the pressure Gibbs faced to prove his competitiveness within the team but found his approach problematic.
Ty was wrong for running him lap after lap on the outside, and I understand what Ty was doing. You have to prove to your team, you have to show your team. It’s not just a pushover. You’re out there to win the race for that organization,
Petty explained.
While Hamlin initially showed patience during the back-and-forth, his tolerance wore thin as Gibbs continued to press aggressively.
He took it lap after lap after lap,
Petty said.
And he took it because the guy on the next to him is named Ty Gibbs. Remember? Joe Gibbs Racing?
Despite Ty Gibbs being the grandson of the team owner, Hamlin ultimately lost patience and deliberately spun Gibbs out. Petty acknowledged Hamlin’s frustration but did not condone the move, indicating both drivers’ choices were driven by selfish intentions common among NASCAR professionals.
That’s what it takes (to be selfish) to be a champion driver. That’s what it takes to be a Cup driver. So, I look at yesterday almost as no harm, no foul, it’s all internal. These guys will hash it out,
said Petty.
Implications for Hamlin’s Championship Hopes and Upcoming Races
Despite the incident, Denny Hamlin remains well-positioned in his quest for the championship. He currently holds fifth place in the standings, maintaining a 27-point lead above the cutoff line entering the next round. His focus now shifts to the upcoming race in Kansas, a track where he has enjoyed previous success with multiple wins.
Nevertheless, Hamlin’s recent performance at Kansas raises concerns, as he has finished 18th or lower in his last three attempts there. The outcomes in Kansas might be pivotal for Hamlin’s championship trajectory following a tense playoff opener marked by internal team conflict.
