The NASCAR playoffs are known for their intensity and surprises. In light of this, the second round, kicked off at Texas, did not disappoint. In a race filled with cautions and dramatic moments, one incident stood out. A collision between Denny Hamlin and his team boss, Joe Gibbs‘ grandson. The incident led to Joe Gibbs’ prodigy pleading guilty for his role in wrecking Hamlin.

Denny Hamlin, who had been running a strong race, found himself in an unfortunate situation in the pit lane. The trouble, sadly, came from his own teammate. The incident occurred when both Hamlin and his teammate were exiting the pit road. In a tight space with no room to maneuver, Ty Gibbs slammed into the right side of Hamlin’s car. The impact caused significant damage to Hamlin’s car, jeopardizing his chances of a favorable finish.

A furious Denny Hamlin might have forced the apology out of Ty Gibbs

After the race, emotions ran high, and Hamlin made his feelings clear. He expressed his frustration, stating, “It slowed down our car quite a bit. The good news is it didn’t hit a tire, but it just caved in the right so much that made it really slow down the car and then lighten the car up quite a bit. It’s still a top 3 car, but certainly not as fast as the #5 [Kyle Larson].” Ty Gibbs, on the other hand, admitted his fault in the incident.

After being checked out of the infield care center, he acknowledged his mistake, saying, “We had a really fast Interstate Batteries, Monster Energy Toyota Camry. I was really happy with our speed out of the gate. This is a place that I’ve struggled. I was out of the groove. It’s my fault, I guess. Just have to keep going and keep fighting. We are bringing great cars to the track every week – we will keep working hard.”

The race at Texas was won by Rick Hendrick‘s 2023 superstar William Byron. This victory marked Hendrick Motorsports’ 300th win, underlining their dominance in NASCAR. Hamlin, despite his earlier struggles, had to concede defeat to Rick Hendrick and his team.

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In the aftermath of the race, Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on whether NASCAR needs to make some changes to improve racing in Texas.

Hamlin explains why the racing at Texas was lackluster at best

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In addition to the drama on the track, Denny Hamlin addressed another issue plaguing NASCAR. The racing at Texas Motor Speedway. In recent years, this track has failed to capture the excitement seen at other venues. Hamlin pointed out that the Next Gen car performed well on other mile-and-a-half tracks, but Texas posed unique challenges. The lack of tire falloff and the similarity in car speeds made passing difficult.

In a post-race interview, Hamlin commented on the track’s challenges, stating, “It’s just a tough track. When SMI reconfigured this thing, we just swung and missed on it for sure, so I don’t know what you do with it. The Next-Gen car is really great on all other mile and a halfs, it’s just this one. There’s just no tire falloff. I did the tire test but Goodyear is always going to choose the most durable tire they can to not blow out and when you have that, you’re not gonna have any falloff then you’re gonna have guys with old tires go out there and win.”

The drama at Texas Motor Speedway showcased the highs and lows of NASCAR racing. From the collision between Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs, to Hamlin’s admission of defeat to Hendrick Motorsports, the race had no shortage of drama.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin Uncharacteristically Defends Goodyear As He Calls Out SMI’s Questionable Decision

As fans reflect on the race, they’re left pondering the future of Texas Motor Speedway and its place in the NASCAR calendar. Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments, and stay tuned for more NASCAR action as the playoffs continue to unfold.