Denny Hamlin and JGR Turn the Tides as Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing Lose Their Way

In a massive turn of events, Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin have made a strong statement in the 267-lap feature in Las Vegas. From being one of the teams that were rattled by pit-road woes last year, the #11 JGR crew has made a strong comeback, making major strides it was quite evident in Vegas.

Avid NASCAR fans might still recall how Hamlin’s 2023 season fell off, despite the early momentum, the #11 and #19 JGR teams were rocked by ill fate and a series of of pit road incidents. Now, Joe Gibbs and Co. are trying major amends, making major strides on pit road.

As for Brad Keselowski and RFK Racing, they are still in the rut, grinding hard to make it out to get back to their winning ways. However, the latest race saw the Ford camp’s vulnerability as a grave pit-road error that got the #17 car into the wall, ending in catastrophe.

#11 JGR team of Denny Hamlin turns their weakness into strength, topping the list in Vegas

Luck wasn’t an ally of Denny Hamlin and his fellow veteran Martin Truex Jr last year. Despite being the most consistent driver on the roster, racking up points, finishing races in the top 5s, and winning crucial races, the #11 Toyota quickly lost steam and seemed out of place in the final leg of the tournament. The team known for its consistency faced a disappointing end due to mechanical failures and pit road woes.

Rolling into the fourth race of this year, it looks like that is a thing of the past, as Hamlin’s #11 team registered the fastest time, changing all four tires and refueling the car all in under 9 seconds(8.88). This lightning-fast pit stop played a crucial role in getting Hamlin into the top 10. In fact, this turnaround is astonishingly impressive considering that the #11 managed to shave off a spectacular 3 seconds. It took the crew 11.315 seconds last year compared to the time this year.

On the other hand, Keselowski‘s #6 team also managed to get the car quickly off of the pit stop but considering JGR’s massive leap, they need to sweat a bit more to hang in there, especially when the driver is on a 101 race winless streak.

Hamlin details his Vegas outing

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Fans who watched the race know that there was no stopping Kyle Larson. But what many might’ve missed is Hamlin’s pace. The JGR veteran also led 16 of the 267 laps on Sunday and picked up 43 points. The driver ran up front challenging his friend-turned-rival Larson and his driver Tyler Reddick but couldn’t seal the deal to take home the win.

Speaking on his Action Detrimental podcast, Hamlin detailed what went down on Sunday’s 400-mile race. Crediting the Toyota Camry XSE, he said, “Leading to start this third stage right after that green flag pitstop, I thought we had a very very good car. I thought we were running very competitive lap times, and we were catching the group in front of us.”

Then Hamlin came right to the point, mentioning how the JGR Toyota needed a little bit of tweaking to hang in with the HMS Chevy. He added, “And then, you know, the caution comes out late. You got 20-something laps to go and you’ve got a shootout there. And it just required a little bit different things out of my car than what I had.” 

READ MORE: Owner Denny Hamlin Blames 23XI for Jeopardizing Tyler Reddick’s Chance to End HMS’ Vegas Dominance

With Hamlin coming across the line with a respectable P8 finish, will he be able to better his position at the one-mile track in Phoenix? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.