NASCAR insider reveals grim outlook for Denny Hamlin in 2025 amid lawsuit

A NASCAR insider believes 2025 won’t be a special year for Denny Hamlin. While appearing on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports was asked about Hamlin’s expectations for the upcoming season with him having a new crew chief.

“Is it going to be any different racing with the lawsuit going on this year compared to the end of last year? Maybe a little bit as things kind of continue,” Pockrass told Kevin Harvick and Kaitlyn Vincie. Harvick then asked Pockrass if racing with the lawsuit looming would be better or worse for Hamlin in 2025.

“I think worse just because the more it goes you get tired, it wears on you,” Pockrass stated. “I think that could be an issue. Denny obviously didn’t want this change to happen. He loved having Chris Gabehart. He did tell me that it seems Chris Gayle has come in and has adopted kind of the 11’s team way of doing things. He hasn’t come in and say ‘Hey, we’re going to do things my way.’ He’s trying to adapt to the way they’ve done things.

“I just wonder if he can adapt quick enough to know what Denny needs, know how to push Denny to be his best because I think Chris Gabehart pretty much did that.”

Will Denny Hamlin have success with his new crew chief?

Before Pockrass shared his thoughts on Hamlin during Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, he ranked all the drivers and crew chief moves, and the Hamlin-Gayle pairing came in at No. 8. “Denny Hamlin was floored when he found out that Chris Gabehart would move to a JGR competition director role, and he would have a new crew chief for 2025,” Pockrass wrote.

“Chris Gayle comes over after being crew chief the last three seasons for Ty Gibbs, where they ran well but could never find their way to victory lane. Gayle is trying not to overhaul how the Hamlin team is run. They need to get off to a quick start, as Hamlin knows his years are numbered to win a championship.”

Gabehart was Hamlin’s crew chief for the last six seasons. On Nov. 22, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced Gabehart had been promoted to competition director.

“We have a lot of pride in the depth of talent we have throughout our organization,” JGR owner and founder Joe Gibbs said, per the Associated Press. “Chris Gabehart will now be an asset across all four of our teams as competition director and we thought it was important to have him transition into his new role immediately. Chris Gayle will bring his own perspective to the 11 team while also maintaining the consistency and continuity they have developed with Denny [Hamlin] over the past several years.”