Hamlin and Gibbs: Tension at Joe Gibbs Racing after incident

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Calm has returned to Joe Gibbs Racing after last week’s incident between teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs. Hamlin, who is in the playoffs, collided with Gibbs when the latter did not get out of his way in New Hampshire. Hamlin is seeking his first Cup Series championship, while Gibbs, grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, is not eligible to compete for the title. After the contact on the track, Hamlin asked his team radio if the organization was afraid to give orders to the 22-year-old young driver.

There were things I should have done differently.

Denny Hamlin

Hamlin stated on Saturday, a day before the race at Kansas Speedway, that all parties had the opportunity to express their opinion in this week’s competition meeting. The three-time Daytona 500 champion declined to elaborate, but admitted that, in taking Gibbs out of his way, “I definitely got too angry and went too far.” Christopher Bell, JGR teammate, said the message was clear and didn’t even need to be spoken about how Toyota drivers should race each other at this point in the year. There are six races left to crown the Cup champion.

We shouldn’t crash into each other. 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

Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe, a JGR driver, secured his seventh pole of the year to lead the grid on Sunday in Kansas. He will start alongside Hamlin. Briscoe’s seven poles are the most in a single season since Kyle Busch in 2017. Briscoe and Hamlin will likely race cleanly at the start, which Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson believes is correct, who has three of his four teammates still in the field of 12 drivers. Gibbs was competing too hard with a title contender who turns out to be his teammate, too early in last week’s race.

I think in the end, if you’re competing for a win, you’re competing for a win. You’re never going to give up a win in the Cup Series for a teammate. But I think if you’re running mid-pack in a stage, yes, that expectation should be followed.

Kyle Larson

Larson said that the expectations of how Hendrick’s drivers should race among themselves are clearly defined and are evident on the track every week.

I think you’re always looking for what you can do to make things a little easier on your teammates. Television probably doesn’t even see the teamwork that happens, but last week, Alex Bowman gave me a lot of breaks at the end of the first stage. I passed him, and then I was dying.

Kyle Larson

Larson continued explaining that Bowman could have easily passed him, but stayed back. Larson concluded that Denny probably expected that, as every team that has multiple cars has had a conversation about those expectations. Larson hopes the situation improves.