Denny Hamlin has a brand new crew chief in Chris Gayle forward of a pivotal 2025 campaign, as Joe Gibbs Racing moved his former shot-caller Chris Gabehart right into a extra outstanding function, which represented a stunning flip of occasions final offseason.
Over the previous few seasons, Hamlin and Gabehart had grown into among the best driver-crew chief tandems within the NASCAR Cup Collection, if not the perfect. As Hamlin continues to chase a protracted elusive championship within the twilight of his profession, the transfer shocked many pundits and followers alike, however Gayle appears to be as much as the problem.
There was seemingly no kinks to work out throughout their first alternative to showcase their new partnership over the weekend, because the Cup Collection introduced The Conflict to Bowman Grey Stadium on Sunday night. Hamlin gained his warmth race, and raced close to the entrance all night time. It was definitely encouraging, because the veteran alluded to on the newest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast.
“I’ve obtained a brand new crew chief this 12 months with Chris Gayle. It’s heat up for us,” Hamlin mentioned, relating to this primary go-round with Gayle at The Conflict over the weekend. “Despite the fact that, you may argue the apply time we truly obtained in all probability was as a lot or greater than we’d get on regular weekend, it nonetheless felt like an abbreviated weekend. So, not a number of changes you are able to do to the automobile. You understand, principally you apply a number of laps, you pull in, jack it up, twist a number of issues right here and there, and also you return out.
“So, your mattress’s just about made earlier than you get to the racetrack in your main set-up issues. However yeah, the communication, you recognize — I can solely communicate to ours, however it was it was good. Chris is a quiet man, and I’m a quiet man, however I feel we have been fairly easy within the questions that he requested, and the suggestions that I gave. So clearly, it’s begin.
“I instructed him after the warmth race that I used to be like, ‘Man, I feel you may be the fourth crew chief in a row now that I’ve gained my first race with.’ You understand, you’ll be able to rely them nevertheless you may wish to rely them, via Conflict(s) or warmth races or Daytona 500s or no matter. However early within the season, you recognize, a win with the brand new guys.”
All instructed, Chris Gayle might symbolize the precise change Denny Hamlin wanted to recover from the hump and win his first profession NASCAR Cup Collection title. Time will inform if their partnership is as profitable transferring ahead, however we’ll doubtless have a greater concept of the place they stand in a few weeks, after getting to actually put a while collectively.
