Toyota GAZOO Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
HAMPTON, Ga. (June 27, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Friday prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway.
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 King’s Hawaiian Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Have you had any discussions with your 23XI drivers about the in-season tournament or the Playoff push?
“No discussions about the in-season stuff. Obviously, the motivation is pretty straight forward. You’ve got a million-dollar prize if you can make it through the rounds, and certainly, I think they have a legitimate opportunity there, but mostly, trying to get this last playoff push. We’ve got multiple cars that are in. We’ve got one car that is out, overall, you just have to shake the bad luck. You have to shake the stuff we’ve done that hasn’t helped our drivers finish races, just have to be a little bit cleaner with our days and this is the time that you have to make the push because you can’t count on that cutline not moving.”
Do you approach this race differently when you run at night versus during the day?
“A little bit. Mainly it is about track temperature, whether that is day or night, the track will have a certain amount of grip based on the temperature of it. If we were racing in conditions like this during the day, not only having the ambient temperature outside, but the sun radiating off of it, it would have a lot less grip than it would have at night. The teams just weigh that balance and they try to give you a car that is going to be as fast as it possibly can be while also having the handling that it needs. Certainly, I believe that our philosophy this weekend will be qualify bad, race good. That is what we are probably going to do.”
How do you feel about paying the drivers directly for the in-season tournament?
“I think that the interest should align. I think the conversations that I’ve had with my team – I can only speak where I’m at as a driver. If I can make it through this round, make it to a road course, I’m going to want our strategy to revolve around beating whoever I’m up against, where typically, we are going to get a couple road course stage points and we’re trying to surive the rest of the day and get a decent finish. I think I’m going to do whatever I can to beat the other person. Everyone’s motivation is a little bit different there, but I would think the interest would somewhat align, again I think it becomes tougher if you are a bubble team, because you have to chase points, and maybe not chase one person, but I’m in a different position where I’m locked in, we have points – likely not going to win the road courses anyway, so flip it and get the best finishes that we can.”
What did you have to do in the past to keep Bubba’s attitude in place versus how he handled last week’s disappointment?
“Well, a lot of it is just, it’s not like, it’s not giving 23XI a free pass, right? I think it is just so much easier, if you have issues and you want to kick and scream, like, do it to us. When you do it outwardly in the public and in the media, it creates a lot of other distractions that you have to deal with. He’s made it easier – a third of the races he has DNF’d, right, and is still in the Playoffs. He hasn’t even existed for a third of the races when it comes to finishes. I think it just shows how strong that they are, and what they are capable of doing, and I think truthfully, the biggest change has just come from him within, more so than anything I’ve done with him or the team has done with him, and I think certainly, we look at the biggest change coming in his personal life midway last year, and what not, and I think that has changed the most.”
How much does he need to win the regular season or is there any pressure on him?
“I just know the resources that we’ve put in at 23XI, and all of our driver should win. That is the expectation that I have of them. Obviously, it is a result-based business, and if you don’t over time, you consider your options. Overall, I’ve seen enough progression, specifically, from the the 23 standpoint, that I can see where this can go. Obviously, putting himself in a Playoff position year after year is good, but winning makes it better. It makes it good for the team; it makes it good for your sponsorships. The progression is smaller, but it is still happening with Riley (Herbst) as well. We started at the bottom of the cellar, and it is slowly but surely getting a little bit better. That is what I’m looking at as an owner, but certainly, I need all my cars winning at some point. There are just too many resources, too many good people over there not to win more races, and certainly, I think we’ve underperformed as far as actual winning this year. We expect more, but a lot of it – I think we carry that burden.”
If the sun stays out during stage one tomorrow, how much will this track change?
“A lot. I believe that handling will be a big factor. We keep waiting for this place to kind of turn the corner and when is going to separate itself a little bit with car handling, the field size. Is it going to start to stretch out where handling really matters? It hasn’t got to that point yet, but certainly, if it ever will, it will come during these type of conditions. There is a balance to be had. Can you hang on – if you build a car that is going to be fast in qualifying today, can you build a car that can do that and can also survive the day part of the race tomorrow to get to get to the night so you can use your all out speed. I personally want a car that I can turn left and right in, in the middle of the corner and not have any second thoughts, but everyone has a different style on what they want out of their car. I think we are still a few years from it being a true handling type race track.”
How much of your focus is going towards the regular season championship?
“A little bit. Certainly, I don’t know how good our opportunity is to win the regular season championship. I think we are going to have to have some things go our way that – (William) Bryon has obviously had speed. He’s executed extremely well. It’s just been the last couple of weeks that he has had a little chink in the armor, but still, we are still a race and a half behind when it comes to the actual standings. Happy that last week we able to get ourselves back to third after missing Mexico, but a goal of mine, truthfully, would be to be second or third. I think if I can be there, that is enough bonus points that will translate into the Playoffs. If I get one or two more wins, that should be enough that I would feel comfortable going into the Playoffs.”
Did you get to the bottom of the brake rotors from last week?
“The team did, yes.”
Was it the brake rotors or a team decision?
“Without getting too in depth with it, it was a team oversight. If that’s – just too aggressive. I don’t know how else to say it. They knew what they had, but they didn’t think about the implications of what they were doing set-up wise.”
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