The Denny Hamlin Ty Gibbs feud took center stage at New Hampshire, shifting the spotlight from the race itself to rising concerns about driver etiquette and internal team tensions. The clash culminated with Gibbs being spun out, prompting broader questions about how veteran drivers interact with younger teammates—and the unique challenges when family ties shape a team’s culture.
Rising Tensions Overshadow New Hampshire Results
While fierce competition is common in NASCAR, the situation between Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin showed how team relationships can complicate on-track drama. After their run-in, both drivers avoided escalating the situation in post-race interviews, keeping their comments restrained. Joe Gibbs, the team’s owner—and Ty’s grandfather—noted that he will allow the drivers to resolve things on their own.
Analysts and fans alike do not expect Gibbs to retaliate against Hamlin with aggressive moves on track. However, the incident reignited debates about Gibbs’s maturity and readiness for high-pressure Cup Series moments, a topic that has surfaced before.
Concerns Over Ty Gibbs’s Growth as a Driver
Observations from within the racing community suggest that Gibbs’s journey toward maturity has been slower than expected. His family relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing’s leadership has led to perceptions that he is managed differently than other drivers, which some believe may impact his development in the Cup Series.
“The unfortunate reality is it’s a tough situation for the team because of who he is. He’s the grandson of the owner, and there’s a sense within the organization sometimes, and you heard it on Denny’s radio, that he’s handled with kid gloves when maybe that isn’t the case,”
Jordan Bianchi, The Teardown.
“And sometimes you need tough love, and yeah, he’s a young driver, I get that. But he’s also in his third year. His third year of the Cup Series. He’s over 100 starts now. Yeah, he’s young age-wise, but maturity-wise in the racecar, he’s been at this, and it just seems like at some point you’re gonna have to get that lesson. We’ll see how this is going to be going forward.”
– Jordan Bianchi, The Teardown.
Gibbs’s struggles with discipline have recurred since his days in the Xfinity Series. A key moment came in 2022 at Martinsville, where after securing his spot in the Championship 4, he bumped Brandon Jones out of the lead late in the race. While Gibbs celebrated a win, his actions cost Joe Gibbs Racing another potential contender in the title round.
Internal Dynamics Add to JGR’s Challenge
Ty Gibbs occupies a unique position within the team that can affect chemistry with veteran drivers like Denny Hamlin and up-and-coming names such as Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. The visibility of his last name within Joe Gibbs Racing makes for complicated working relationships and an environment where expectations are high from both inside and outside the garage.
Despite being three seasons into his Cup Series career, Ty Gibbs has yet to secure a victory—a point that adds to criticism about his adjustment pace. Comparisons can be made to Chase Elliott, who took several seasons before his first Cup win, suggesting that every driver’s journey is different. Still, with his prominent family connections, scrutiny is inevitably greater, as both fans and fellow drivers weigh whether he is progressing quickly enough.
No one can say for certain if these dynamics are directly fueling internal tension, but if the Denny Hamlin Ty Gibbs feud is any indication, ongoing friction could impact not just Gibbs’s future, but the cohesion of the Joe Gibbs Racing team.
The Road Ahead for Ty Gibbs and Joe Gibbs Racing
How Ty Gibbs navigates the coming races will shape both his reputation and the atmosphere among teammates at JGR. Continued tension or repeated incidents could lead to broader consequences with veteran drivers such as Hamlin, and even influence relationships with others like Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe. As the NASCAR season progresses, observers will be watching closely to see if Gibbs can earn both victories on track and respect from within his own garage, or if further controversy will keep fueling the ‘kid gloves’ debate that has put Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR spotlight.
