Hamlin and Gibbs: Tension at Joe Gibbs Racing after on-track incident

Tension at Joe Gibbs Racing after incident between Hamlin and Gibbs

After a tense run-in on the track between teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs, the waters seem to have calmed within Joe Gibbs Racing. The incident occurred when Hamlin collided with Gibbs, who did not yield the way in New Hampshire. Hamlin, who is competing in the playoffs in search of his first Cup Series championship, and Gibbs, grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, were involved in an incident that generated controversy. After the contact, Hamlin expressed his frustration over the radio, questioning whether the organization was afraid to give team orders to the 22-year-old young driver. The three-time Daytona 500 champion, Hamlin, admitted that the situation got out of control and that there were actions he could have handled differently. In a subsequent meeting, everyone involved had the opportunity to express their views.

I definitely got too heated, and it was too far on my part.

Denny Hamlin

Christopher Bell, JGR teammate, emphasized the importance of avoiding incidents among Toyota drivers, especially at this crucial stage of the season. With six races remaining to define the Cup Series champion, the priority is mutual respect on the track.

We shouldn’t crash. That was very clear and blatantly wrong and I hope it doesn’t happen again. I think it was already clear to us before, and we just need to respect each other.

Christopher Bell

In another development, Chase Briscoe, JGR driver, achieved his seventh pole position of the year, leading the starting grid in Kansas. Briscoe will share the front row with Hamlin. These seven poles are the most in a season since Kyle Busch in 2017. The expectation is that Briscoe and Hamlin will compete cleanly at the start of the race. Kyle Larson, a Hendrick Motorsports driver, believes this is the right thing to do. Larson believes that Gibbs was too aggressive against a title contender, who is also his teammate. Larson also highlighted the importance of teamwork and mutual support among the drivers of his team, pointing out specific examples of how they help each other on the track.