At Indianapolis, Denny Hamlin’s Brickyard 400 drought appeared to be coming to an end. The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing had at last positioned himself to take possession of the crown jewel that had eluded him throughout his career. However, everything was altered by a wild final restart. Hamlin lost the lead and watched his latest shot at Brickyard glory disappear once again.
“I thought the 20 obviously was on board with getting us the push. It just was way too early before the restart zone. I can’t go until we get to the restart zone. He said that Briscoe was on him way, way early or laying back one of the two. And that’s how you lose them.”
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For Hamlin, losing against Heim directly wasn’t the pivotal moment. Rather, he thought that when the race was up for grabs, the No. 20 (Christopher Bell) and No. 19 (Chase Briscoe) cars (both Joe Gibbs Racing drivers) failed to execute the plan. One restart earlier, Hamlin had already witnessed the value of teamwork.
His crew chief, Chris Gabehart, and spotter Chris Lambert were trying to get the JGR cars organized. So, at this point, Hamlin’s message was simple:
“Please, let’s work together here.”
He wanted Christopher Bell in the No. 20 Toyota to help provide the push. Lambert later confirmed that Hamlin got a “yes” from Bell. The plan, however, fell apart when the restart arrived on Lap 127.
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Denny Hamlin explained that Bell’s push came too early. Well before the restart zone. That left Hamlin unable to properly straighten his car and build momentum when the field accelerated. Chase Briscoe in the No. 19 Toyota also appeared out of position, leaving Hamlin without the organized drafting help he needed. The consequences were immediate.
Corey Heim, driving the No. 67 Toyota for 23XI Racing, managed to get the momentum he needed and move back ahead. Denny Hamlin had taken the lead from Heim on an earlier restart. However, the advantage did not last. With Heim back in front, Hamlin tried to fight his way through Turn 2.
The two Toyotas raced aggressively for the position. But Heim shut the door, and Hamlin eventually slipped backward for the remainder of the race. That is why Denny Hamlin put much of the responsibility on his own side.
“It’s really more on us and the 20 and the 19,” Hamlin explained.
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He pointed toward the failure of his team members to orchestrate the pushes properly. He admitted there may have been something he could have done differently. But the early push left him in a difficult position.
There was also little resentment toward Heim. Denny Hamlin knew exactly what was at stake. The Brickyard was one of the few major victories missing from his résumé. He had openly discussed how badly he wanted it before the race began. Yet Heim was racing for his first Brickyard victory and ultimately took the opportunity.
That created an unusual situation for Hamlin. He had just lost a race he desperately wanted. However, the winner was also one of his own future full-time drivers. Denny Hamlin acknowledged that contrast, saying the victory was “earned on their side” while the disappointment belonged to his team.
It was another statement win for 23XI Racing in the end. For Denny Hamlin, though, Indianapolis delivered another painful reminder that the Brickyard remains one crown jewel he cannot seem to capture.
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The post “That’s How You Lose Them”- Denny Hamlin Deflects Blame on JGR Chaos Amidst Failure to Seize Missing Crown Jewel Glory appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
