The 2025 Bowman Gray Cookout Clash delivered yet another thrilling short-track showdown after a long-awaited return. Chase Elliott emerged victorious in a race filled with aggressive moves, heated dogfights, and critical decisions. As Elliott celebrated his hard-fought win, one of the most scrutinized moments of the night came from Denny Hamlin, who found himself in prime position to challenge for victory but ultimately fell short. Hamlin, known for his rough gritty driving and willingness to push the drivers, later reflected on a crucial moment when he chose not to retaliate against Elliott – a decision that he now regrets.

Denny Hamlin’s miscalculated restraint cost him the race

Denny Hamlin had been a strong contender throughout the Bowman Gray race, leading laps and showing flashes of the dominance that has defined his career on short tracks. However, the turning point came when Chase Elliott made his move. Hamlin initially fought to reclaim the lead but admitted on his Actions Detrimental podcast that he underestimated Elliott’s aggression.

In a telling moment, Hamlin recalled Chase Elliott’s own words after the race: “Yeah, I was behind Denny and I knocked him out of the way, and I knew I needed to get back control of the race.” Elliott was prepared to live with the consequences, but Hamlin chose a different approach. “When I went into the next corner, I’m like, it’s so cliché to just run back into him, I am not gonna do that,” Hamlin said. “And so I didn’t. I’m like, I’m just gonna work him for a little while, and I just didn’t have it.”

Those five words “I just didn’t have it” sum up the moment of realization for Denny Hamlin. He let the opportunity slip away, a rare moment of restraint from a driver known for his competitive fire. Hamlin went on to detail his thought process behind not retaliating against Chase Elliott and trying to win with his speed and skill.

Hamlin explained. “The cars are never gonna be perfect, but I thought at that time, my car was.” He further elaborated on how Darlington and short tracks have taught him to adapt, changing his lines to find speed. However, despite all his experience, Hamlin found himself struggling after losing the lead. “When Chase got around me, I spent five laps really trying to get it back,” he recalled. 

The Cook Out Clash saw a wheel-to-wheel battle between Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin as they jostled for the lead on the quarter-mile oval. When Hamlin did take the lead, Elliott waited patiently for his moment to strike and executed a perfect bump-and-run on the JGR driver to reclaim the lead and win the race. Hamlin recalled this moment and added, “In hindsight, I should’ve just kind of moved him out of the way like he moved me.” 

That moment of hesitation proved costly. “I just thought I was enough to get him the natural way, but I wasn’t,” Hamlin admitted. Once he settled into second place, the familiar struggle of aerodynamics and tire wear kicked in. “I just lost grip on the car, and those guys pulled away.” Hamlin’s Bowman Gray failure is a reflection of the ‘so close yet so far’ narrative built in his career. With 54 race wins, he holds the record for the most Cup wins without a Cup Series Championship. However, entering the new season, that won’t be his biggest concern.

Trending

1

NASCAR Rumors: Chase Elliott’s Billion Dollar Sponsor to File Bankruptcy One Year After Ugly Exit

2

NASCAR Confirms Status of 4th Manufacturer Deal Amidst Major Rumor Mill

3

Ryan Blaney Snatches Up $70 Billion Sponsor as They Leave Struggling F1 Team in the Dumps

4

$485B Worth Oil Giant Doubles Down to Support Denny Hamlin and Co

5

NASCAR Ready to Steal Roger Penske’s Massive Loss Amidst 4th Manufacturer Rumors

A career at a crossroads: Hamlin’s sponsorship struggles

Beyond the race itself, Hamlin faces an even bigger battle off the track. With FedEx ending its long-standing sponsorship of the No. 11 car, Hamlin is in a bad position, struggling to secure high-profile backing. Despite being one of the sport’s most polarizing yet successful figures, he finds himself without the corporate stability that has never been a problem. Notably, Hamlin entered the Clash with his trailer having no major sponsor on it, besides the ones he secured for select races in 2025.

When asked about the sponsorship situation, Hamlin candidly said, “I mean it is tough out there. Sponsorship is hard to come by… Everyone has had to adjust quite a bit, and there are certain aspects that JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) has to price into their pricing as well that is probably tough. However, he also added that JGR should be more concerned with this than himself, saying, “Is it concerning from my end? Maybe a little bit, but it is probably more concerning from JGR’s standpoint.”

The parallels here to Kyle Busch’s situation with JGR in 2022 are striking. Busch lost his major sponsor, MnMs, at the end of 2022 and JGR could not secure a big deal for the two-time Cup Series Champion. Busch left for Richard Childress Racing the following year and the way things are shaping up for Hamlin, his odds of leaving look eerily similar.

As the 2025 season unfolds, Hamlin will need to prove he still belongs among NASCAR’s elite, not just with his performance but by securing the financial backing that ensures his continued presence in the Cup Series. For now, though, his regrets at Bowman Gray serve as a stark reminder that, in racing, sometimes the most critical decisions aren’t just about speed, they’re about seizing the moment.