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Denny Hamlin’s Loyalty to Joe Gibbs Draws Huge Respect

Originally posted on EssentiallySports | By Saad Rashid | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 5:12 AM ET

“No one will ever accuse me of laying over for anyone for a win,” said a dejected Denny Hamlin. When the checkered flag was waved at Kansas Speedway, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran was forced to settle for a runner-up finish, a harsh result after he led 159 laps at the 1.5-mile oval and swept the opening two Stages. With a Round of 8 playoff spot on the line, the No. 11 Toyota wasn’t going to give up without a fight, even if his own driver, Bubba Wallace, was standing in the way. But perhaps that very ‘loyalty’ could end up costing 23XI Racing a shot at the championship.

But despite the heartbreaking result for Hamlin, at least his integrity remained intact. He didn’t let the No. 23 Toyota secure a much-needed win at a time when the team he co-owns is racing in the ‘open’ category and in the middle of an antitrust lawsuit. And that loyalty drew praises from prominent NASCAR insiders.

Denny Hamlin proves where his priorities lie

Many believe this could finally be Denny Hamlin’s year. The 44-year-old has already won five races this year, including the Round of 16 playoff fixture at Watkins Glen International. However, with points being refreshed after every round, the veteran was desperate to secure a berth in the final 8 with a win in Kansas. He almost succeeded, and had it not been for his loyalty towards Joe Gibbs Racing, perhaps he would have had a reason to celebrate. After all, he co-owns the No. 23 car, and allowing Bubba Wallace to win would’ve guaranteed his team a deep playoff run.

Praising Denny Hamlin’s loyalty to Joe Gibbs, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi said on ‘The Teardown’ podcast, “He’s not thinking like a team owner. And I give Denny credit for this because it would have been easy for a lot of people to have been like, ‘Hey, I’m in a great spot here, points-wise. I don’t need to win, per se. My guys that I own, they need that win. I’m gonna kind of lay over for them or, you know, not maybe go as hard.’ And he didn’t. This was driver versus driver. This wasn’t driver/car owner versus driver.”

That speaks volumes about Hamlin’s character. Ever since 23XI Racing came into the picture, many have argued about the Virginia-native’s ownership, even citing a ‘conflict of interest’ because of his role at Joe Gibbs Racing. Perhaps that’s why Bianchi went on to say, “If anyone ever wants to accuse Denny of favoring his own team over the team he drives for, here’s the evidence. Like this answers it all. And this could potentially cost Denny significantly monetarily.”

But with Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell on the verge of pointing their way through the Round of 8, Bubba Wallace’s triumph may have ramifications for the No. 19 car driven by Chase Briscoe, which may explain why the veteran racer fought until the end. Taking these factors into account, Jeff Gluck also went on to praise Hamlin, saying, “He owes it to Joe Gibbs Racing to get after it. I couldn’t be more proud of him. I hate it for how the 23 ended up, but Denny’s got to get after it to try to win the race, and that’s what he did.”

With the team he co-owns being stripped of its charters because, after the preliminary injunction being overturned, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan are being forced to run in the ‘open’ category, which means getting on-track results are more important than ever before. But despite the circumstances, the veteran racer chose to fight until the very end, even if it meant another manufacturer stole the triumph. He could have very easily helped defend Bubba Wallace’s lead and settled for runner-up, a position he eventually finished at anyway. Perhaps that’s what makes Hamlin truly one of a kind.

Hamlin opens up about last lap incident in Kansas

Denny Hamlin has a point to prove. He’s on the verge of winning 60 Cup Series races, and potentially his first championship ever. But fighting for the silverware also comes with making big decisions, and that’s exactly what he did at Kansas Speedway. He went wheel-to-wheel with his own employee, Bubba Wallace, ultimately leading to the two colliding and allowing Chase Elliott to snatch the win in dramatic circumstances.

Sharing his thoughts after the race, Hamlin said, “Obviously, I got really close to the 23. If I had to do it all over again, I think I’d run a little bit lower to allow a space between us so I don’t get so tight and then try to turn the wheel more. I got no power steering. I’m trying everything I can, and obviously, really difficult and just super disappointed that I couldn’t finish this one out.”

As things stand, Denny Hamlin is 48 points above the playoff cutline, but both the 23XI Racing drivers find themselves in must-win territory ahead of next week’s road course race at the Charlotte Roval. Naturally, the veteran racer’s actions didn’t go down well with Wallace, who said afterwards, “He’s a dumb-ss for that move. I don’t care if he’s my boss or not.” And even though both the racers had a quick hug afterwards, one can’t help but feel that the team meeting this week will be pretty tense.

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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