Denny Hamlin isn’t one to mince words. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver called out his fellow Cup Series stars for their aggressive driving style at the Bowman Gray Stadium. With no points at stake for the pre-season exhibition race, the events leading up to the Cook Out Clash shouldn’t have been as intense as they were. However, the heat races and Last Chance Qualifying (LCQ) leading up to the main event featured many controversial incidents, leaving the veteran scratching his head.

Hamlin, who finished the race in third place, shed light on the “mentality” that goes into qualifying at ‘The Madhouse’, in comparison to actually competing in the race itself at the iconic quarter-mile oval.

Denny Hamlin puzzled at his colleagues’ actions

Bragging rights were on the line. After more than half a century, NASCAR had returned to the iconic Bowman Gray Stadium. In many ways, returning to the Winston-Salem track represented the sanctioning body keeping in touch with its roots, as the iconic venue is the “longest-running weekly race track” in the sport. For many drivers, this was not an ordinary pre-season event, as only 23 drivers would make it to the main 200-lap event. Desperate to begin 2025 on a positive note, many left no stone unturned to make it to Sunday’s showdown at ‘The Madhouse’.

Sharing his thoughts about how his other Cup Series drivers approached the exhibition event, Denny Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast, “It’s always that way in heat races and last chance races because it’s go big or go-home. I mentioned on the radio before the race started that why would you wreck for eighth place? I mean, we still did, but why would you wreck for eighth place in the main? There’s no, ‘Hey I got to get to fifth or else I’m not racing’.”

Bowman Gray Stadium is known for its close-quarter, short track racing, resulting in plenty of bumper-to-bumper action. Featuring tight turns and a narrow track, drivers are forced to race aggressively to gain track positions, which can often result in frequent spins, big wrecks, and tempers flaring. Explaining why accidents are more prone to occur leading up to the main event, Hamlin said, “In the LCQ and the heat races, it’s a do-or-die feel that, ‘I’ve got to get to this position or else I’m in a dire situation’.”

In comparison, the main event was a relatively tame affair. Chase Elliott led 172 laps out of 200, securing a dominant victory at the quarter mile oval. However, the Cook Out Clash wasn’t free from controversy either, as Carson Hocevar slammed into the tire barrier after Christopher Bell made contact with his No. 77 Chevy, resulting in plenty of words being exchanged on the team radio. With every driver hoping to get some momentum on their side ahead of the Daytona 500, it’s easy to see where Denny Hamlin is coming from ahead of the start of a new season.

Hamlin calls out his teammate for retaliation at Bowman Gray

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Frustrations were high at the Bowman Gray Stadium. With qualifying at stake for the Cook Out Clash, drivers were desperate to get a result in the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier on the quarter-mile oval. Denny Hamlin’s teammate Ty Gibbs sustained damage on his No. 54 Toyota Camry, which kept him from having a shot at the main event. Angry at the outcome of the LCQ, the 22-year-old went to the pit area and slammed into the right side of Justin Haley’s No. 7 Chevy.

It’s an incident that didn’t go down well with Hamlin, who said, “It’s so hard to be mentally tough in the moments you get bounced around and you feel like well, I gotta show I’m not gonna take it, so do something back. It’s almost like the NFL where a personal foul — someone shoves you, next thing you know you push them in the face, and you get the flag. Maybe find a different way to get back at them. Certainly, didn’t love it, didn’t look great.”

The North Carolina native could potentially face discipline from NASCAR because of his retaliation. The punishment, which was entirely avoidable, will be a significant blow to Joe Gibbs Racing, even before the Cup Series season has officially begun. Sharing his thoughts about the incident, Gibbs said, “I just had a little left front damage and gave him a little tap, but didn’t mean to make it that big.” While Denny Hamlin justified the mistake by saying, “he’s still a really young guy trying to find his way”, Ty Gibbs will know he needs to do better to become a serious contender at the highest level.