Denny Hamlin praises pit crew for Michigan Cup win save after a tense moment nearly cost him victory during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event in Michigan. An early departure from his pit stall during a crucial stop threatened his third win of the 2025 season, but quick action from his Joe Gibbs Racing crew averted disaster.
Pit Road Crisis Averted by Fast-Thinking Crew
During the final pit stop at Michigan, Hamlin ignored all three traditional signals meant to cue his safe departure. Despite crew chief Chris Gabehart’s instructions over the radio, a visual nod from fueler Kenneth Purcell, and Dylan Dowell’s hand gesture, Hamlin accelerated prematurely. This move almost resulted in dragging the fuel can out of the box, which would have triggered an automatic drive-through penalty and destroyed his chances of winning.
“I’ve got three points of reference. I didn’t listen to none of them,”
Hamlin confessed. —Denny Hamlin, Driver
Dylan Dowell, the team’s tire carrier, recognized the impending mistake and snatched the fuel can away just in time, showcasing exceptional awareness that kept Hamlin in contention. The close call left Hamlin grateful for Dowell’s quick thinking and dedication to his role.
“There’s so many of these pit crew guys, sometimes they finish their job and they’ll just kind of turn around and head towards the wall,”
Hamlin said. —Denny Hamlin, Driver
Dowell’s presence at the left front fender provided an extra layer of vigilance for moments just like this. Hamlin explained how Dowell’s responsibility includes watching for late-race issues, ready to intervene if there’s even a hint of mechanical trouble or pit lane confusion.
“He’s on the left front fender watching things as they go to like prepare me,”
Hamlin said. —Denny Hamlin, Driver
Hamlin described the pressure he felt watching competitors leaving pit road as his car was still fueling. Although his competitive instincts urged him to go, he admitted making a rash choice in the heat of the moment.
“I just, I waited for a beat,”
Hamlin said.
“I’m looking in my mirror. I’m starting to see these guys leaving Pit Road. I’m like, I don’t want to go back to 10th right now. Waiting on fuel, and surely we’ll just put in that extra gas during the green flag stop. Screw it. Right. And so, I went way too early, and then luckily, Dylan [Dowell] grabbed the can as it’s coming by.”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver
The knife-edge tension of pit stops in high-stakes Cup races was front and center in this incident. Hamlin noted the dramatic difference that even fractions of a second can make regarding race position and momentum as restarts approach.
“If you stay in the pit box for like an extra half a second, how many cars is that? How many rows is that on a restart, right?”
Hamlin noted. —Denny Hamlin, Driver
Fuel Strategy Masters the Race in Overtime
With Dowell’s timely intervention saving his race, Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing team executed a challenging fuel strategy. Hamlin restarted 11th with only 20 laps to go and focused on saving every possible drop, while frontrunner William Byron risked running out. As Byron’s tank dried up with just four laps left, Hamlin surged to the front and led the remaining five laps, claiming another memorable victory.
Carson Hocevar also attempted a bold strategy, short-fueling and hoping for late-race cautions, but a flat tire relegated him to 29th. In contrast, Hamlin’s crew left nothing to chance, a benefit made possible only because of Dowell’s crucial save during the pivotal pit stop. The Michigan triumph marks Joe Gibbs Racing’s second success this season using fuel strategy, following their win at Darlington earlier in the year.
Now tied with teammate Christopher Bell for the most wins in 2025 and ranking third in the points standings, Hamlin recognizes the vital impact of every team member. Dylan Dowell’s reactive instincts proved that races and even championships can hinge on the alertness and resilience of those who rarely stand in the spotlight. As NASCAR’s season presses on, the quick decisions made in the pit could very well decide who lifts the Cup at year’s end.
