Denny Hamlin acknowledged there were conversations at Joe Gibbs Racing this week, but didn’t provide details as to what those entailed.
“I think they’re in a good place,” Hamlin said Saturday at Kansas Speedway about where things stand between him and Ty Gibbs. “I thought they were all productive meetings, but obviously the guts of that need to be confidential.”
Hamlin spun Gibbs last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the opening race in the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, after tensions came to a head with how the two raced each other. The contact on lap 110 came after Hamlin repeatedly questioned over the radio how Gibbs was both the No. 11 and Christopher Bell, who are championship contenders. Afterward Hamlin implied the contact was not intentional.
Gibbs, who exited the race early due to damage, did not directly address the incident when asked by NBC Sports. The only comment he made over his radio was, “Game on.” Hamlin, however, said he wasn’t concerned about any future retaliation and was more focused on Joe Gibbs Racing leadership making it clear how the drivers should race one another.
“All the drivers had an opportunity to speak and try to come up with a plan,” Hamlin said. “I think we did our best to come up with one. That’s it. That’s all I have.”
He did admit, in hindsight, he could have handled things better in the moment at New Hampshire.