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Denny Hamlin makes surprising admission to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•04/03/25•

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Denny Hamlin Dale Earnahrdt Jr
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images//Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin made a surprising admission to Dale Earnhardt Jr. when talking about a significant change made to the No. 11 team for the 2025 season. On Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt asked Hamlin about his reaction to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) replacing his crew chief, Chris Gabehart, with Chris Gayle.

“There was a period there where I certainly was not happy with Joe Gibbs Racing or decisions that they decided to make in the offseason without talking to me at all about it,” Denny Hamlin told Dale Earnhardt Jr. “But I got to trust that they got he bigger picture in mind. I understand it from the car owner side that I’m of that sometimes you got to make those changes and you have a bigger picture of things.

“Yeah, I was worried. I certainly was worried. I certainly felt like I don’t want to start over. I’m too late in my career to start over with someone again, and I just wasn’t really excited about that. But I thought about it, I slept on it for about a week or so and was like, you know, I’m going to make the best of it. I’m going to do the best job that I can, and I’m going to be a professional here and I’m going to make sure that I’m doing my job as a driver to give Chris Gayle a fair opportunity to prove himself in the Cup Series.”

Denny Hamlin shares more with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hamlin added, “When you look back at it, I’m happy with the change. I feel like my relationship with Gabehart was strained for a little while, and it’s starting to get back on the right track. I’m starting to build that relationship with Chris Gayle. My faith in him after just a few weeks really was unwavered and found that this was going to be a pretty seamless transition for him and the 11 team.

Denny Hamlin made the comments to Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning the Cup Series race at Martinsville on Sunday. It’s the first race he’s won this season and his first win at Martinsville in 10 years. Overall, the Hamlin-Gayle combination has worked this year as the No. 11 team has earned four top-10 finishes and one win in seven races.