Joe Gibbs pokes fun at Denny Hamlin for becoming the owner of 23XI Racing despite having ‘fun, money and girls’

Denny Hamlin recently inked an extension of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Joe Gibbs pokes fun at Denny Hamlin for becoming the owner of 23XI Racing despite having ‘fun, money and girls’

Joe Gibbs and Denny Hamlin (Credits: Outsider)

Joe Gibbs, the owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, recently jokingly confronted his star driver, Denny Hamlin, about his entrance into team ownership. Hamlin’s affiliation with JGR spans his Cup Series career, a partnership marked by numerous achievements but ultimately missing the elusive championship trophy. 

Recently, Hamlin signed a multi-year contract extension with JGR, securing his future with the team. With their renewed contract, both Hamlin and Gibbs harbor dreams of securing that long-awaited title, and Hamlin, in particular, envisions retiring as a champion. To commemorate this significant milestone, Hamlin and Gibbs engaged in a lively discussion on Hamlin’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast. 

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With the recent extension, Hamlin’s 23XI Racing, co-founded with NBA legend Michael Jordan, remains aligned with Toyota. 23XI Racing was established in 2020. Operating from a shop owned by Joe Gibbs Racing, they have a technical alliance with JGR. Despite its short history, the team has secured four wins in 90 Cup Series starts and is on the cusp of becoming a major contender in NASCAR.

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In a moment of jest, Gibbs couldn’t help but tease Hamlin about his venture into team ownership with 23XI Racing. Gibbs playfully pondered why Hamlin would venture into ownership when he already enjoyed the perks of being a highly successful driver. Gibbs said (H&T: ProTalks), “You’re driving a race car. You’re going to have fun and drive a race car for a living. Everybody wants to do that. You make all the money.”

Discover: Denny Hamlin explains what his JGR deal means to Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team

Joe Gibbs highlighted that Denny Hamlin had a fantastic deal as a driver

Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs
Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs (Credits: Sportsrush)

Gibbs continued pointing out the stark contrast in their roles. While Hamlin had four people tending to his motorhome, Gibbs oversaw a team of 450 individuals working on the race car. With a hint of humor, he also noted that the drivers, including Hamlin, had the bonus of great-looking girls, emphasizing to Hamlin that “You’ve got a good deal.”

The podcast also took a trip down memory lane, recounting their first encounter. Gibbs vividly remembered the early days when Hamlin’s ride was nothing more than a “beat-up Monte Carlo.” Fast forward to a more prosperous era, and Gibbs found himself in an amusing situation. While savoring the serenity of his lakeside home, he spotted Hamlin arriving on a jet ski at a neighboring property. 

To Gibbs’ surprise, Hamlin was eyeing a house twice the size of his own, a moment that surely raised eyebrows and perhaps a touch of envy. As he continues to chase the elusive championship title, fans can only await the next twist in this captivating NASCAR tale. Denny Hamlin’s 23XI has managed to secure a playoffs berth for both its drivers and is making headlines with their recent runner-up finish by the courtesy of Tyler Reddick. 

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