Denny Hamlin firmly addressed and dismissed speculation surrounding the Denny Hamlin race manipulation controversy, following the recent Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. During his Actions Detrimental podcast this week, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver laid out his position, asserting that he stood to gain nothing from alleged manipulation, intensifying the ongoing debate within the NASCAR community.
On Sunday, Hamlin and Ross Chastain collided on the final lap, a critical moment that eliminated Chastain from advancing to the Round of Eight playoffs, opening the last playoff berth for three-time champion Joey Logano. The incident reignited discussions about possible strategic interference on the track as teams vie for a chance at the NASCAR Cup championship. Hamlin, however, addressed the underlying strategies and motivations at play.
Hamlin Explains His Strategic Approach
Hamlin outlined his rationale for his actions in the closing laps of the race, emphasizing the natural complexity of playoff racing. He highlighted how, with several drivers competing fiercely for advancement, racers are constantly weighing decisions in real time. Hamlin expressed that part of his preparation includes anticipating opponents’ tactics on the track, as in his commentary:
“If these guys are battling, it would give me a much better understanding to prepare if I’m going to attack the No. 1 [Chastain],”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
He continued to make clear that any moves he made during the race were focused solely on improving his own championship prospects, rejecting notions of orchestrating the outcome for the benefit of others:
“It then allows me to say to myself, ‘Who do I want to race?’ And it’s not race manipulation if I’m trying to get the best result for me. I’ve got no allegiance to Ford or Chevy or Joey or Ross, but I have interest in myself winning a championship,”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Hamlin acknowledged considering various scenarios during the race, weighing which driver—Chastain or Logano—would be the preferable competitor to advance, based on whom he would have a better shot against for the championship, especially at Phoenix. This calculation reflected his intent to maximize his own chances, rather than aid others.
Last-Lap Decisions and the Impact on Playoff Advancement
Reflecting on the pivotal moment with Chastain, Hamlin explained his mindset, stressing that his attempt to overtake was about self-preservation in the title hunt, not sabotage. He elaborated that if given another chance, he would still attempt a pass on Chastain, believing Chastain’s progression could be more threatening at Phoenix than Logano’s:
“I think that I still go out there and I try to pass the No. 1 [on the last lap] because I think the No. 1 has a better shot of getting to Phoenix [than Logano],”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Further, Hamlin assessed Logano’s abilities at Phoenix and his own need to even reach the final for a shot at the championship:
“I think the No. 22 [Logano] has the better shot of winning Phoenix. So, I can’t win Phoenix unless I get there first. Does that make any sense?”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
The split-second evaluations are common in NASCAR, where keeping a rival behind while also advancing oneself is a tightrope act, according to Hamlin. At the time of their collision, Chastain still held a two-point advantage over Logano for playoff advancement, making every move critical. In Hamlin’s words:
“It’s not a given that I want to race Ross over Joey,”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
He further analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of both competitors, pointing to Logano’s and Chastain’s performance histories:
“Ross would have a better shot of keeping me from getting to Phoenix than Joey would, in my opinion, on pace, pace alone. I look at the tracks. I say yes, Joey has been strong on super speedways [like Talladega, which is the next race after Las Vegas]. Look at the numbers. He’s finished in the top 20 one time in the Next Gen era,”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Evaluating Logano’s Performance at Talladega with Next Gen Cars
Hamlin’s analysis aligns with statistics since the introduction of the Next Generation or Gen 7 car in 2022, where Logano has not bettered a 19th-place result at Talladega in seven races. This history lends weight to race strategies that consider not just immediate positions but also potential threats in upcoming events. Discussing how playoff points and advancement pathways can shape mental calculations on race day, Hamlin candidly reflected on the psychological toll these decisions carry, stating that the regret of a missed move could be significant if it cost him championship contention.
He admitted that letting scenarios unfold naturally could be a preferable, if difficult, approach, indicating that overthinking might do more harm than good:
“And in the end, that race played out as naturally as it did. My goal on the last lap was to pass the No. 1. I did pass the No. 1. I got wiped out, and Joey ended up getting in. So, it played out naturally, but I just think there would have been a lot of regret in my heart if I would have chosen to not pass the No. 1 and then he ended up keeping me out of the final four. That would have hurt,”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Significance of the Roval Outcome and What Lies Ahead
As the Charlotte Roval concluded, Joey Logano now advances as a formidable opponent, with his progression raising stakes for the other remaining title hopefuls, including Hamlin. Historically, Logano and the No. 22 team have shown resilience in the closing stages of playoff runs. Whether Logano’s track record at super speedways and his recent struggles with the Gen 7 car at Talladega will factor into the outcome is a question that looms over the next races leading up to Phoenix.
The Denny Hamlin race manipulation controversy underscores how high the tension runs in playoff competition, as drivers and teams scrutinize every decision. For now, Hamlin’s frank explanations and the natural course of the Roval finale have cast new light on the realities of championship racing, with each move scrutinized as NASCAR approaches the final rounds of its playoff season.
