Emotional Denny Hamlin Reveals the Real Truth Behind Cryptic JGR Tweet After Losing “My Dad”

One of the most influential names in NASCAR and one of the most influential teams in NASCAR are the Gibbs. An unfortunate passing of JD Gibbs in 2019 meant that Joe Gibbs Racing was now without its charismatic and most of all, loved, leader. Denny Hamlin saw it both ways, having joined under JD. 

Denny Hamlin posted on Twitter on October 30th, “I miss J.D.” The media asked him, “you tweeted ‘I miss JD’, I don’t wanna interpret that for what you were saying but maybe would Ty know some of those things already if JD was around? Is that what you were trying to say?”

Hamlin explained his tweet, “Well, JD really instilled family atmosphere at Joe Gibbs Racing and you know I would just never, I just remember that it was such a tight family unit and really made us feel like you know that the guy driving the #19 car, the #20 car, that’s our brother. That we really have to treat them as they are our brother in the family.”

“And I think at times in JGR we probably worked with each other the least amount than any other team, that’s just the fact. I’m not saying that’s anyone’s fault currently. With JD it was different because he really wrapped his arms around everyone and made us feel like… I told Coy that JD was my dad, he was really my dad so when you lose that, it changes the culture a little bit, and I think we gotta get it back.”

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Hamlin has been part of the JGR enterprise for a very long time, having started for them in the Cup Series in 2005. His relationship with JD was obviously on another level, and as he points out – the atmosphere was closer-knit than it is now.

Denny Hamlin had his place stolen for the Championship 4

Most of the Xfinity 500 race in Martinsville was under the control of Denny Hamlin. But all the hard work done over the period of 499 laps was undone by a Hail Mary move by Ross Chastain that took away the final spot from him.

A qualification to the Championship 4 grid for Hamlin would’ve meant a fourth consecutive appearance for him. Having led the most laps in the race, with 203 laps, but lost the big prize in the final lap of the race. If not for Chastain’s move, Hamlin would’ve taken the 4th spot in Phoenix.

Chastain pulled a bunny out of his hat with his wall-hugging move. But Hamlin was understandably not too impressed by the move. “It was well-executed, but certainly … I don’t know. I didn’t think of it that way, but this is the rules we play, you know. You’ve gotta race inside these walls, and he found a way to do it better than us on the last lap,” he said.

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Hamlin is contracted with JGR for the 2023 season as well in the Cup Series. He will try to put Martinsville behind him, and do well in the finale in Phoenix. But his eyes will be set on the next year.