Dale Jr Delivers Blunt Message to Ty Gibbs Backing Denny Hamlin’s View

NASCAR’s playoff heat cranks up the drama, and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Round of 12 opener, Joe Gibbs Racing’s family feud stole the spotlight. Around Lap 110, teammates Denny Hamlin, a championship contender, and Ty Gibbs, out of the playoff hunt, clashed while battling for 11th. Gibbs held his ground, frustrating Hamlin and fellow playoff driver Christopher Bell, who were chasing critical stage points.

Things boiled over exiting Turn 4 when Hamlin, fed up, made contact, sending Gibbs spinning into the Turn 1 wall and ending his day. Hamlin owned the mistake but didn’t hide his irritation, griping that Gibbs was “hard to pass” at a make-or-break moment. Gibbs kept it cool, calling it “unfortunate” and pivoting to next week’s race, but the incident left JGR’s playoff momentum, a blazing three straight wins, looking shaky.

Enter Dale Earnhardt Jr., who didn’t hold back, delivering a blunt message to Gibbs that echoed Hamlin’s frustration and called for some growing up.

Dale Jr.’s straight talk to Gibbs

On the latest Dale Jr. Download episode, Dale Jr. waded into the JGR mess with some no-nonsense insight. “I thought Ty Gibbs handled himself okay after the crash, keeping quiet instead of escalating things. Denny’s been diplomatic, too. Still, it’s not a good look and a tough spot for Joe Gibbs Racing,” he said.

Gibbs, once known for fiery Xfinity outbursts like his 2022 Martinsville brawl with Sam Mayer, stayed calm this time, a step up from his rookie days. Denny Hamlin, a pro at measured responses, kept it civil too, avoiding the kind of public jabs he’s thrown at Joey Logano or Ross Chastain. But for JGR, a teammate wreck in the playoffs is a PR headache, especially after their 2010 Busch-Hamlin clash at Homestead.

Dale Jr. didn’t stop there,  “They had all the momentum, three straight wins, and Gabehart even said, ‘the champion comes out of this room.’ Then this happens.” JGR’s late-summer tear, three consecutive victories, had them pegged as title favorites, with Gabehart’s bold prediction fueling the hype. Momentum’s everything in the playoffs, as Hamlin’s 2021 three-race streak showed, but the Gibbs spin threw a wrench in that narrative.

“If you’re the leadership at JGR, that’s frustrating. I bet they’ll sit Ty down and tell him this was avoidable. These are playoff-critical moments. Like it or not, teammates should be the easiest cars to pass,” Dale Jr. added, pointing to JGR’s history of post-conflict huddles, like when Busch was reined in for Hamlin’s 2010 title push.

He got personal, “When you’re out of the playoffs, it sucks. You’ve worked hard all year, but your job becomes making it easier for your teammates. I’ve lived that.” In 2014, Dale Jr. was out of the Chase but raced alongside title-chasing Hendrick teammates, learning to balance pride with team goals. Gibbs’ situation mirrors Erik Jones in 2020, who caught heat for not helping Hamlin at Martinsville.

“Ty’s got experience, especially from Xfinity, but where’s the processing? Why not make the obvious, common-sense move in these situations?” Dale Jr. asked. Gibbs’ 2022 Xfinity title at 20 showed his talent, but his Martinsville wreck of teammate Brandon Jones for a Phoenix spot raised eyebrows. Dale Jr.’s blunt take, backing Hamlin’s view, calls out Gibbs to learn when to fight and yield for JGR’s title shot.

Dale Jr.’s podcast didn’t just roast Gibbs; he dropped a gloomy playoff prediction that ties right into JGR’s high-stakes drama

Dale Jr.’s playoff cuts and JGR’s stakes

Four drivers face the chop with the Round of 12 kicking off at Loudon, followed by Kansas and Charlotte’s Roval. After Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, Josh Berry, who barely escaped a smoky cockpit fire at Bristol, and Austin Dillon got cut, Dale Jr. named his next four to fall.

“Chase Elliott, [Austin] Cindric, [Ross] Chastain, [Tyler] Reddick.” He called it “tough” with “no scientific data,” admitting, “They’re all so good. This is really hard.” But he’s betting on Hamlin, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe, fresh off Xfinity wins at Kansas and the Roval, to advance, leaving JGR’s Hamlin and Bell as title hopes.

This prediction amps up the pressure on Hamlin and Bell to keep JGR’s momentum alive after the Gibbs clash. Dale Jr.’s faith in them shows why Gibbs’ hard racing stung so bad; every stage point matters, and teammate scraps can’t derail a championship run.

His blunt message to Gibbs isn’t just about one wreck; it’s a call to prioritize the team, especially when JGR’s title dreams hang in the balance at tracks like Loudon, where avoidable mistakes could cost Hamlin and Bell their shot at glory.

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