Denny Hamlin reveals key reason for contract renewal with Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin joined JGR in 2005.

Denny Hamlin reveals key reason for contract renewal with Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin (Credits: IMAGO)

Denny Hamlin finally signed his long-awaited renewal with JGR yesterday as he continues with the team after being with them for nearly 20 years. While it may be thought that Hamlin’s long-term relationship with the team was the major factor in his renewal, Hamlin has revealed several conditions that were first to be fulfilled by JGR before he could finally seal the deal.

Hamlin’s co-ownership of 23XI racing and 23XI’s and JGR’s partnership with Toyota proved to be the biggest obstacle in his renewal. 23XI was considering ditching Toyota for Ford, and if that deal had taken place, Hamlin claimed it would not have been the best of situations for him since he couldn’t drive for one manufacturer and own a team for another. He said that he had to make sure that his and JGR’s interests fully aligned.

YouTube video

“I have to make sure that my interest stays aligned. There’s just too many blurred lines there, too much sensitive information that manufacturers have for that to be possible… I couldn’t commit to Joe you know, for a long-term deal unless I knew that my team was going to have a long-term deal with Toyota,” Hamlin told SiriusXM.

FS Video

In case you missed it: Kyle Petty labels Kevin Harvick and Michael McDowell as the ‘biggest losers’ at Darlington

NASCAR insider reports Denny Hamlin’s renewal was much more important to JGR than Kyle Busch’s

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch (Credits: USA Today)

JGR and Denny Hamlin’s contract saga finally ended yesterday, with Hamlin signing a new multi-year deal with the team. Many speculations had arisen about Hamlin’s situation with the team, with many comparing him to Kyle Busch, who had an abrupt exit last year from the team. However, NASCAR insider Brett Griffin reports that Hamlin’s renewal was way more important to JGR than it might seem.

Griffin believes that Hamlin brings more business and money to JGR than Busch. He claims that Busch did not even try very hard to renew with them, while it was evident that Hamlin and the team were working very hard to agree. He also drew on both the drivers’ past laurels, saying that Busch is only a Truck Series winner while Hamlin is a Cup owner.

“It’s obvious that Denny Hamlin means more to Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota than Kyle Busch… Denny Hamlin is a Cup owner, Kyle was a Truck Series owner. There is a big difference. There is a big difference in Toyota’s 5-year plan with what Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan are doing,” said Griffin.

Discover more: