Denny Hamlin, driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, has openly assessed his recent performance vulnerabilities, particularly during late-race restarts, while managing his dual responsibilities as an active competitor and co-owner of 23XI Racing.
The 45-year-old veteran identified restarts as the primary obstacle in his pursuit of a first Cup Series championship, despite a strong 20-race stretch.
“If you look back at the last six or seven races of last year and the first 12 or so this season, this has probably been the best 20-race stretch of my career from a competitive standpoint,” Hamlin said.
“Speed-wise, whenever we're on an oval and turning left, we've been really fast.”
However, Hamlin pointed out that late-race shootouts expose his inability to maintain pace efficiently in the initial laps of a restart.
“The only weakness right now is my restarts.
That's something I need to improve because a lot of these races come down to late shootouts,” he added.
He specifically noted execution errors when starting from the front row compared to deeper fields.
“I wasn't great on restarts when I was up front.
My restarts in the back were really good, but up front I just couldn't quite get through Turns 1 and 2 with the speed that I needed,” Hamlin explained.
Beyond ovals, Hamlin aims to improve on road courses, where rivals like Shane van Gisbergen have dominated recently.
“I also want to keep getting better on road courses. I felt like we were solid at COTA and Watkins Glen.
Right now, it feels like everything is coming together, and we're happy with where we are,” he said.
Ownership and Public Persona
Hamlin also addressed his outspoken nature, shaped by a 20-year career, and how it influences his weekly podcast, Actions Detrimental.
“You know, I’ve always kind of been this way.
I mean, if you ask my mother, she would say that she would prefer that I didn’t say some of the things that I said at times.
But, you know, it’s just, it’s my personality, and I can’t change it,” Hamlin said.
He emphasized that transparency is vital for his digital platform, despite initial hesitation from league officials.
“I said, listen, people tune in because they know that they’re going to get an honest take.
It might not be the right take, but they’re going to get an honest take,” he explained.
Hamlin added that league executives must accept a mix of positive promotion and direct criticism from independent driver platforms.
“I said, you know, 80% of it is going to be great and fluff, and you’ll love it.
And there’s going to be 20% that you guys have got to be the big boys,” he said.
Transitioning into team ownership has changed how Hamlin views executive decisions, technical alliances, and sponsor relations.
“It certainly changed my perspective. Obviously, when you see it as a driver, you do see it through one lens, right?
You don’t, as the driver, you’re kind of sheltered from seeing some of that stuff,” Hamlin said.
This dual perspective allows him to understand motivations behind both team demands and league policies.
“Now I know why NASCAR’s doing that,” he concluded.
