Denny Hamlin’s crew chief Chris Gayle detailed what he believes led to the flat tire on the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that caused his driver to go one lap down in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix.
Hamlin finished 28th in Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500. Despite scoring his worst finish of the Chase, the driver of the No. 11 gained 18 points on championship leader Kyle Larson, who suffered a 34th-place DNF.
With three races remaining, Hamlin sits fourth in the points standings, 31 points behind Larson.
Chris Gayle Explains Denny Hamlin Tire Issue
Following a difficult result in Phoenix, Gayle spoke to reporters on what caused the tire issue that pinned Hamlin one lap behind. Gayle said he had been a crew chief for two Phoenix races prior to Sunday and did not have any sense that a tire issue would occur.
“I had a low air pressure number in my mind that I was staying above. We had been tearing down every set looking at them and I didn’t have any indication that I was in a spot that was going to cause a problem. I think actually the winner was in the same spot I was when I had a problem, so I was surprised by that,” Gayle said.
On top of the tire issue, Hamlin was penalized for speeding on pit road, which ultimately solidified him as a lap down car.
At the moment of the final caution, Hamlin was the third car one lap behind and had the opportunity to take the wave around to get back on the lead lap.
However, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, and Ty Gibbs all stayed off the pit lane prior to the final restart. Because not every lead lap car pitted, Hamlin was unable to take the wave around and was trapped one lap down.
“When that caution came out, we were the third car one lap down. Then, it worked out to where the 19, the 9, and the 54 stayed out, so we could not wave there,” Gayle said.
Chris Gayle on Final Three Races: ‘It’s Not Over’
Phoenix was a huge missed opportunity for Hamlin and the No. 11 team. With Larson’s struggles, the 45-year-old out of Chesterfield, Virginia had a major chance of gaining points on the title leader.
Unfortunately for the Joe Gibbs Racing team, a 28th-place result was all they could muster.
“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t close the gap more because there was opportunity to do it. I thought we were sitting in the spot to do that before the flat tire and it is what it is. There’s three more. I can tell Denny was a little down there. … All you can do is do the best you can every week,” Gayle said.
Hamlin’s chances of winning an elusive first NASCAR Cup Series championship are beginning to fade. Yet, the veteran driver is not out of it yet as he is only 31 points out.
Three races remain in the 2026 season — Talladega, Martinsville, and Homestead. Gayle said a lot could happen in the coming weeks and believes they are not out of the championship picture yet.
“It’s not over. Those guys could have trouble. You could have the 19, the 5, and the 20 all have trouble in Talladega and we’re right back in this. That’s the only way you can look at it,” Gayle said.
Denny Hamlin’s Crew Chief Explains Phoenix Tire Problem