The Watkins Glen International track ensures an entertaining spectacle year after year. The recent Xfinity race that took place at the Glen was no exception. Ty Gibbs was leading the race, but a late restart helped Sam Mayer take the checkered. Mayer’s victory, however, did not come without its share of controversy and Gibbs is not happy with Mayer spinning him off the track toward the end. Not only that, the heated radio exchange between Mayer and his team JR Motorsports has caught public attention.

Apparently, Mayer’s #1 team was edging him on for the on-track conflict. Thankfully for Gibbs, he has since then found an ally in Denny Hamlin. Hamlin was not impressed with the radio exchange and did not appreciate Mayer’s antics to secure the win. On the other hand, Dale Earnhardt Jr has come out in defense of the #1 team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr disagrees with Denny Hamlin on JR Motorsports’ #1 team’s conduct

Last weekend’s Xfinity race saw as many as 11 of 38 cars not reaching the finish line. It’s not hard to imagine that the race must have seen quite a few disagreements. Chief among those was the Sam Mayer–Ty Gibbs feud, which has its origins in a physical altercation from last year. The dispute grew more layered after the events at the Sunoco Go Rewards 200. Ty Gibbs had led 70 out of 86 laps when the race restarted. Sam Mayer found an opportunity to pass Gibbs and bumped his rear right while wheel-hopping on Turn 1.

The maneuver wrecked Gibbs’s car and opened enough room for Mayer to cross the finish line. Moreover, Mayer’s team was communicating on the radio during the incident, and emotions were charged all around. Denny Hamlin, in the latest episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, expressed his disapproval in no small measure.

“I think then he got goaded by his, his team. And I just think that that is not good at all. I don’t understand it. Let the drivers handle it. They don’t need to be getting involved, especially with a young guy. […]

“You know, if you wanna sit Sam down after the race and say, ‘hey man he kind of used you up there, you wanna hold the ground next time.’ Or, like saying, ‘Hey, when you get back to him, you do it!’ That’s just a bad example. Because the way he did it, it was wrong.
“He didn’t even attempt to make the corner. If there was nobody in front of Sam Mayer, he would have went off into the distance because he over-drove the corner to get to Ty.
“[…] He drove in too deep because he wanted to hit Ty.”

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Dale Jr played this clip in his podcast to put his views across on the radio interaction. Junior agreed Mayer played too rough on the field that day and could have avoided bumping Gibbs’s car.

“My thinking about Denny is everything at the back end of that he said is pretty much correct. I mean we said it Tuesday, I believe that Sam wanted to move Ty Gibbs. He was going into the corner with the intention to make contact and try to you know try to move the man away.

“I think he got in there harder than he wanted to. And it was … you wheel hop and you get loose because you’re trying to slow down, alright. You’re trying to get the car to stop and then it jumps out. So I think that he I think we kinda agree there that Sam is definitely going there to get some get to #4 or #19th I should say, but I think Sam overdid it and wheel-hopping and hit the 19th way harder than he wanted to.”

However, Junior disagreed with the notion that the #1 team encouraged to wreck Gibbs. He knows Mayer is aware of what he did during the race. But he does not believe he was “goaded” into it on the radio.

“Sam’s like, ‘You know with all our history I don’t have any regrets, no remorse at all.’ So I think I kinda agree about that but I don’t agree with the front end I don’t agree with the front end of Denny’s comments, the team goading him to make the moves I don’t think they did.”

Whilst the saga continues, several fans find it interesting that Hamlin’s support has come at a strategic juncture in his relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing. Could it possibly have an underlying meaning?

Denny Hamlin stands by Ty Gibbs, perhaps showcasing his loyalty to Joe Gibbs Racing

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Denny Hamlin has a long and successful history with Joe Gibbs Racing, spanning nearly two decades. He has been JGR’s star performer, winning 50 races and 40 poles with the team. He is quintessential to the team’s current and future interests and their partnership has been mutually profitable. But they need to renew Hamlin’s contract before it ends with the 2023 season. This has led to rumors and speculations about his intent to stay with the team or move to 23XI racing. Although Hamlin has not revealed a desire to leave, absence of official confirmation about his future, in conjunction with last year’s ugly divorce between Kyle Busch and JGR over similar sponsorship concerns, has led to the rumors.

In these circumstances, making a public stand in favor of Joe Gibbs’s grandson, Ty Gibbs, is repositioning his faith and interest in his team.

It is no secret that Joe Gibbs shares a close relationship with his grandson. More so, after his son and co-owner Coy Gibbs passed away last year, he will surely appreciate Hamlin rallying for Ty in his young racing years. Both Joe and Denny have reaffirmed their willingness to continue their working relationship. But it doesn’t mean much until they sign the dotted lines. The future of 23XI Racing is also up in the air. Moreover, Co-owner Hamlin’s team has not yet extended its contract with Toyota.

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This uncertainty will linger until discussions carry on upon pending terms in the agreement. Fans are thoroughly scrutinizing every statement hinting at Hamlin’s future plans. In the meantime, the back-and-forth between Hamlin and Dale Junior in their weekly podcasts will continue to entertain us.