During the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs brought out a caution. The reason was, Hamlin didn’t like the way Gibbs was racing him so he spun him from behind sending Gibbs into the Turns 1 and 2 wall.
Hamlin and the No. 11 Toyota team are contending for a championship, Gibbs and the No. 54 Toyota team are not. The incident took place on Lap 110, of 301, with Hamlin able to finish the race in 12th place as Gibbs finished 35th.
Denny Didn’t Seem to Concerned
Just before Hamlin rammed Gibbs, he radioed to his crew he didn’t like how he was being raced by his non-playoff contending teammate. Even to the point asking out loud, “does he know we’re running for a f*#king championship?”
As Gibbs continued to battle him for position, Hamlin tired of how things were going and basically bumped Gibbs out of the way…and up into the wall.
After the checkered flag flew for race winner Ryan Blaney, Hamlin was asked about the incident and calmly shared his feelings.
“It’s super unfortunate he got spun there and obviously the contact came from us,” Hamlin said. “Yeah, I don’t have any other comment other than that. Just had some contact into (turn) one.
“It was obviously a really rough race before that. I mean, we’ll work through it and all but just — we’ll see how it goes.
“But honestly, it’s unfortunate the contact happened.”
With the NCS heading to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the second, of three, races in the Round of 12, Hamlin sits fifth in Playoff points 27 markers above the Cut Line.
Gibbs Doesn’t want to Dwell on Deal
Gibbs, the 22-year-old grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, is still winless in 117 NCS starts. He qualified 13th and had a commendable run going until he got spun. But, like his JGR teammate of Hamlin, Gibbs didn’t have much to say and was already setting his focus on the next race.
“Yeah, it’s unfortunate but I’m excited to go race next week and I’m looking forward to it,” Gibbs said outside the Infield Care Center. When pressed further and told Hamlin said on the radio that someone from JGR needs to have a talk with Gibbs, he didn’t take the bait and pretty much repeated his first answer.
“Yeah, we’ll have a good race next week,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
One thing they both might not be looking forward to is this week’s JGR competition meeting.
Coach Joe Leaves Resolution to His Drivers
Joe Gibbs has been dealing with athletes all his life. During his NFL Hall of Fame career, Coach Joe won two Super Bowls. His NASCAR Hall of Fame career has yielded five NCS Championships and 225 trips to Victory Lane as an owner.
Dealing with athletes of all personalities and pride is in his DNA. After the NHMS race on Sunday, he told Dustin Long of NBC Sports how his two drivers would resolve what took place.
“I think those guys all are the ones driving the cars,” he said. “So, those guys will get together on their own and figure it out.”
Hamlin had a different take saying JGR leadership will handle the situation.
“I’ll let (JGR) leadership kind of quarterback it however they like to,” he said. “But, obviously us, the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) and the No. 19 (Chase Briscoe) are all trying to win a championship for their family.
“So, it’s crazy unfortunate why we’re racing the way we are.”
JGR Teammates Discuss New Hampshire Wreck