Unlike the ecstatic Ford fans whose driver just won them another championship, things weren’t quite good for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota fans. The Japanese manufacturer that started the regular season with a bang with Martin Truex Jr clinching the regular season title met their match in the final race—the one where it mattered the most—with their only hope blowing his chances in the middle of the race.

Joe Gibbs Racing was one of the teams that dished out consistent performances. The veteran duo of Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr and the team’s final 4 contenders, Christopher Bell, were a serious threat, racking up wins and respectable finishes. However, once the tournament got into its final leg, things started falling apart for “Coach” and his drivers as both of his senior drivers were knocked out in a single race.

Hamlin’s downfall was the most depressing of them all. The “villain” went from lauding this to be their (#11’s) year to being knocked out of the fray along with his teammate once the battle reached the final race. Speaking on his podcast, the 42-year-old dropped a bold revelation, admitting his shortcomings before his 2024 season.

Denny Hamlin states the obvious as the veteran uncovers the secret to his 2024 title contention

For haters, Hamlin’s fall from grace was sort of a soothing sensation; seeing NASCAR’s new “villain” get his hopes ruined was something they were delighted to see. But for ardent fans, it was certainly a depressing sight to behold. While ill fate might have gotten the driver to the brink and eventually over the rail in his title chase, there were several more factors that need addressing.

And following the Cup Series grand finale in Phoenix, the 42-year-old did just that. On his popular podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin acknowledged the obvious, pointing out the elephant in the room as he mentioned what he needed to do in order for him to pick up his first title in 2024.

Rather than solely blaming the mechanical issue that got him in this precarious position, Hamlin, like the professional driver he is, looks at what he has to do to win the championship. He said, “I got to run better at Phoenix. We ran good enough; we ran good enough to make it; the mechanical failure kept us from making”.

He continued, “But then it doesn’t matter unless me, the #11 team gets better at Phoenix, so it doesn’t matter. Again, we freaking can win 35 races; it doesn’t matter if you’re not really really good at Phoenix; none of this matters, right? 

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Hamlin details JGR’s Phoenix run as he mentions what got Blaney the championship

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Despite getting 3 of its 4 drivers into the playoffs, JGR lost its sole hope in Phoenix after the #20 Toyota of Christopher Bell succumbed to a blown-out brake rotor. Reflecting on the season-ending race, Hamlin dissected the team’s performance while also taking the time to shower praise on the 2023 Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney.

When asked by Allen about what needed to be done, Denny Hamlin started off with his take. He said, “I mean, Truex Jr was somewhat upfront, but it was; we just weren’t that strong, generally speaking, like even C Bell didn’t qualify his you momo, and in the race, he was okay. You know, I was watching plenty of SNT, and the #12 is still much stronger than he was in the long run, so it’s going to be difficult.”

READ MORE: “Officiate It Accordingly” – Denny Hamlin Brutally Slams NASCAR’s Truck Series Indifference With Striking Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Cars Tours Example