Denny Hamlin (left) and Ty Gibbs (right). Bob Goshert/For IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates collide in NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 3:37 PM ET

Sunday's competition meeting at Joe Gibbs Racing just got a lot more interesting.

Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin were racing hard early in Sunday's Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but eventually, frustration boiled over between the two JGR teammates. After Gibbs doored Hamlin — who is still competing for a NASCAR Cup Series championship— early in the race, Hamlin voiced his frustration.

"Does Ty know we're racing for a championship?" Hamlin asked over the radio after the initial contact. "What the [expletive]?"

Eventually, after Gibbs continued to cut Hamlin little slack, the veteran driver's frustration took over.

The Nos. 11 and 54 get together! @TyGibbs spins and backs it into the wall. pic.twitter.com/Qp9oVyufFF
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 21, 2025

On Lap 110, Hamlin made contact with Gibbs in Turn 1, sending the No. 54 Toyota into the outside wall, nearly collecting another JGR driver in Christopher Bell. Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota came away unscathed, while Gibbs was forced to take his car behind the wall.

"What the [expletive] is he doing?" Hamlin said on the radio after the incident.

Gibbs and Hamlin were running 11th and 12th before the contact. Gibbs, 22, is still searching for his first career Cup Series win in his third season, while Hamlin, 44, is looking for his first Cup Series championship in his 20th campaign.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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