Denny Hamlin reveals his plan for the apocalypse as JGR contract extension remains uncertain  

Denny Hamlin’s contract with JGR is set to end this season.


Denny Hamlin reveals his plan for the apocalypse as JGR contract extension remains uncertain  

Denny Hamlin (Via IMAGO)

Joe Gibbs Racing’s three-time Daytona 500-winning veteran, Denny Hamlin, has pointed out that he has a back-up plan if he fails to extend his contract with the Toyota team. He is in the final year of his contract with Joe Gibbs’s team and has been with them since making his debut 17 years ago.

While discussing the uncertainty over his extension ahead of the playoff race at Darlington, the No:11 Camry driver pointed out that if things didn’t go as planned, he would join his team, 23XI Racing, by fielding a third car. For Hamlin, joining Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick is his plan for the ‘apocalypse.’

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I have a race team — I always have options,” Hamlin said during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Media Day at the Charlotte. He added that he would hire himself and joked he would be the highest-paid driver. Hamlin said, “If you’re just a driver, you’re at the mercy of whoever will hire you…I will hire me. And I should be the highest-paid driver in the deal.”

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Hamlin has found himself in a situation similar to his former teammate Kyle Busch’s situation in 2022. Busch’s long-time sponsor decided to end their partnership, and the team’s failure to find a proper replacement caused the exit. Hamlin and FedEx’s situation is something similar. The 23XI-JGR partnership factor adds another layer to the uncertainty.

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Denny Hamlin says he has no excuses for not winning the title this season

Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. (Via IMAGO)
Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. (Via IMAGO)

The 2023 season so far has been impressive for Hamlin. He finished the regular season as the second-best driver in the championship behind his teammate Martin Truex Jr. He is one of the drivers with the most momentum going into the event.

He pointed out that he has no excuses for not winning the title this season, considering the form he is in. Hamlin said that he now has a better pit crew, and all the puzzle pieces are there for him to deliver.

I do. I think that we’re stronger than we’ve been. Road courses, I’ve got speed now and short tracks our cars – if we get to the final four, I’m not worried about being at a deficit. I think the pit crew is better; they’re coming into its own. All the pieces of the puzzle are there. There’s no excuses for sure,” Hamlin said.

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