In the wake of the Ty Gibbs New Hampshire incident involving Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, team leadership called a confidential drivers’ meeting this past week to address internal tensions and set expectations for improved cooperation moving forward. The meeting took place after Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs clashed on the track at New Hampshire, prompting owner Joe Gibbs to intervene for the sake of future team performance and unity.
Team’s Approach to On-Track Behavior
After the on-track wreck between Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin at New Hampshire, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) drivers gathered to discuss the importance of respecting each other during races. Christopher Bell reflected on the situation, explaining the gravity of the incident and the team’s renewed focus on cooperation. Bell said,
“I think it’s definitely fair to say a line was crossed and that was bad,”
noting the need for positive change. He added,
“We don’t need to get any teammates wrecked. Hopefully, we do better moving forward. I think that’s the goal for us to race each other better than we were.”
– Christopher Bell, Driver
The meeting, led by Joe Gibbs, emphasized the message that drivers need to treat each other decently and avoid escalating conflicts on the track. The context of Hamlin’s fight for a championship, contrasted with Ty Gibbs’ current situation, added urgency to the conversation about racing collaboratively as teammates.
Confidential but Candid Discussions
Denny Hamlin, acknowledging the high stakes and emotions involved, said that the meetings held this past week served as a productive environment for drivers to frankly discuss the situation. Hamlin emphasized,
“we had some meetings this week and they were all productive meetings. The guts of that are going to be confidential.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
He elaborated,
“all the drivers had an opportunity to speak and try to come up with a plan. We did our best to come up with one.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Hamlin was candid about his own actions during the New Hampshire race, admitting,
“I definitely got hot under the collar and it went too far on my end,”
and reflecting,
“There was things I wish I could have done a little bit differently.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Reactions from Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe
Ty Gibbs, who was involved directly in the New Hampshire conflict, avoided the spotlight after qualifying at Kansas Speedway, leaving reporters with little comment as he was quickly escorted away after a brief attempt to answer questions.
New JGR teammate Chase Briscoe described the impact of being part of such a meeting for the first time, offering high praise for Joe Gibbs’ leadership. Briscoe said,
“I was just mind blown at just how good he is at being a coach and a leader,”
further stating,
“It makes a sense why he’s been successful on the race side of things but even the coaching side. He’s just so good at just explaining stuff and putting things into perspective.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Briscoe expressed optimism that the team would work better together after this meeting.
“I certainly think that things will be different going forward for us just from a teammate side of things, just trying to make it easier for all of us,”
he said, adding,
“It’s unfortunate that stuff has to happen, but typically when you have to have tough conversations, things are normally for the better going forward. I’m sure it will be.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Leadership and Looking Ahead
Chris Gabehart, competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing, commented on the purpose and outcome of the meeting, acknowledging the emotional tensions that can arise when racing at a high level. Gabehart remarked,
“That’s exactly what happened. I’m not going to get into any of the details, and frankly actions speak louder than words. That’s true of anyone in here, not just JGR drivers. Just got to focus on Kansas and know we did our part this week and everybody said their peace and we’ll move on from there.”
– Chris Gabehart, Competition Director
As Joe Gibbs Racing prepares for their next event at Kansas Speedway, the drivers and leadership emphasize accountability and improved collaboration. The Ty Gibbs New Hampshire incident prompted a frank evaluation of team dynamics and reaffirmed the importance of clear communication and respect among teammates, especially as the season progresses and championship aspirations come into sharper focus.
