Denny Hamlin’s conservative strategy at Atlanta Motor Speedway left many onlookers baffled. After all, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver went into the playoffs as one of the favorites to reach the Championship 4, but his performance in the opening Round of 16 race indicated that he was almost scared of racing. Hamlin looked like a shadow of his usual self, refusing to make a move to gain track positions, and settling for a disappointing P23 finish.

To say that his approach failed on multiple counts would be an understatement. In an attempt to avoid wrecks, Hamlin brought about the inevitable during the final lap of the race, securing no stage points because of his ‘safe’ approach. However, with two races remaining before the Round of 12 begins, the 43-year-old’s crew chief Chris Gabehart has issued an ultimatum to the racing driver ahead of the 2024 Go Bowling at The Glen.

Denny Hamlin cannot afford to remain cautious anymore

While plenty within the NASCAR community criticized Hamlin for his conservative approach, it’s not that difficult to see why he was aiming low, hoping to secure just 20 points in the first playoff race. No doubt the Atlanta Motor Speedway has a bad reputation for its severe accidents, and the No. 11 Toyota Camry driver was hoping to play the long game, capitalizing on the misfortune of others to finish high on the grid.

It was a calculated risk, as Denny Hamlin was forced to start the race from the back, which meant competing for stage points was always going to be an uphill task.

With the second playoff race of the first round at Watkins Glen International on the horizon, Denny Hamlin was asked if he would employ the same conservative approach at Talladega as he did at Atlanta, should he qualify for the Round of 12. In response, as shown in the Frontstretch video, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver replied, “No, I don’t think so. I think that Chris is going to make me crash or race, so he’s not going to let me do that again.”

Given how the strategy at Atlanta Motor Speedway backfired, forcing Hamlin to wreck in the final lap and settle for 24th place, Chris Gabehart’s reluctance to repeat a conservative approach is not just understandable, but sensible as well.

Denny Hamlin, a seasoned NASCAR driver, has built an impressive career over 19 years, yet the championship title has remained just out of reach. Following a poor result in Atlanta, Hamlin now finds himself in a precarious position, just two points above the playoff elimination line with critical races at Watkins Glen and Bristol ahead. While he doesn’t yet face a “must-win” scenario, Hamlin knows he can’t afford to play it safe anymore.

The stakes are reminiscent of the 2019 season finale at Homestead-Miami, when Hamlin and his crew chief Chris Gabehart opted for a conservative strategy, applying a large piece of tape on the front grill of the No. 11 car to gain an edge. Unfortunately, the gamble backfired, causing the car to overheat and costing Hamlin his chance at the win. This season, with the playoffs hanging in the balance, Gabehart might push Hamlin to take more risks—a “crash or race” approach—through these final races. Both driver and crew chief know they must now go all-in to keep their championship hopes alive.

Chris Gabehart was surprised by Hamlin’s conservative approach

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Following Denny Hamlin’s uncharacteristic approach to the opening playoff race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his crew chief Chris Gabehart felt responsible for speaking about his veteran driver’s performance. He later clarified that while the pair had agreed to drive safely in the opening laps of the race, Gabehart was as surprised as anybody else that the Joe Gibbs Racing driver remained cautious throughout the Quaker State 400.

Speaking about Hamlin’s performance at the playoff opener, Chris Gabehart said, “I didn’t expect the rest of it to be as conservative as it was on his behalf, and we didn’t plan that together. I wish we would have changed our, I wish we would have. Had I known that was more of an issue in his head, I would have done my best to talk through the scenario ahead of time with him.”

Even though road courses haven’t been Hamlin’s forte so far, he will head to Watkins Glen International with a lot of optimism. Last year, he finished on pole during qualifying at the 2.45-mile track, finishing the race in second place behind William Byron.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished outside the top five at ‘The Glen’ only two times, which means a strong finish could be on the cards in the second playoff race of the season.

• Could this finally be the year Denny Hamlin lifts the championship trophy at Phoenix Raceway?
• It would all depend on how he fares in the next two races.