?Obviously Controlled the Race?- Denny Hamlin Gets Diplomatic After Darlington Skirmish With Joe Gibbs? Crew

The opening race of the playoffs unfolded just as fans had anticipated. Kyle Larson’s triumphant start, after 17 winless races, marked a strong initiation to the playoffs. Notably, during the qualifying rounds, the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers showcased an impressive performance, securing both the P1 and P2 positions. However, the dynamics took a notable shift during the actual race.

Despite mishaps faced by the pit crews of Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin emerged dominant. Commanding the track, he led a remarkable 177 laps and was viewed as a potential victor at the Cook Out Southern 500. Regrettably, unforeseen complications jeopardized Hamlin?s position. In a post-race interview, Hamlin criticized the Joe Gibbs Racing team, reflecting his evident frustration.

Denny Hamlin gives a diplomatic answer against his #11 team

The #11 car, driven by Denny Hamlin, was notably a frontrunner at Darlington, securing victories in both stages. When the caution flag was raised due to a collision between Austin Cindric and Ty Gibbs on Lap 225, Hamlin swiftly regained the lead after the restart. However, a crucial turn of events occurred on Lap 270 when Hamlin and his crew chief, Chris Gabehart, decided to make a pit stop during the ongoing pit stop cycles.

After changing the tires, Hamlin detected a loose wheel and promptly re-entered the pit lane on Lap 273. Contrarily, his crew chief did not confirm the issue, casting the situation in a cloud of uncertainty. This additional pit stop regrettably relegated Hamlin to the 30th position on the grid, culminating in a 25th-place finish.

During the post-race interview, a palpable sense of frustration emanated from Hamlin due to his less-than-ideal finish in Stage 3. Probed about the loose wheel situation, he responded with measured words, suggesting some differences in perspective with his team.

Denny said, ?I mean really good car just you know we worked hard Darlington here to get us a race-winning car, and Chris and while team just stood up and great job, you know giving me a race-winning car that?s obviously controlled the race-until we had some troubles so I mean it?s just part of it.?

?Luckily we’re able to get some Stage points and you know come out with something but yeah I really just want to win the race. I want to win as many major many races as I can and yeah I don?t really care about the points just man hate losing,? Denny Hankin added.

In the aftermath of this incident, Hamlin faced yet another setback in the subsequent laps, further compounding his challenges for the day.

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Denny Hamlin speaks out on late-stage damage, revealing its impact

The race dynamics again altered on lap 330 when Kyle Busch made contact with the #38 of Todd Gilliland. This collision resulted in Gilliland losing control, leading his car to ?fishtail?, a term used by Dale Earnhardt Jr from the booth. This sudden spin resulted in minor contact with the front left of Denny Hamlin?s #11 car, making it briefly unstable. While Hamlin skillfully avoided substantial damage, he later acknowledged a decrease in his car?s performance post-incident.

In a conversation with Frontstretch, Hamlin said, ?I didn?t think the damage was that bad but the car drove significantly worse after that incident so you know once you damage splitter in these cars they?re not good so?

Hamlin?s evident frustration wasn?t solely due to this incident but stemmed from a series of events that potentially denied him a win he arguably deserved. Nevertheless, showcasing his resilience, Hamlin conveyed optimism for the forthcoming races. He emphasized that such setbacks wouldn?t deter his momentum or commitment. What are your thoughts on the incident?

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