Chris Gabehart gives his verdict on Denny Hamlin’s crew chief after first Championship 4 ticket since 2021: “Had no idea what racing was”

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin and his new crew chief, Chris Gayle, secured the #11 team's sixth victory of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday. Following that, JGR competition director and Hamlin's former crew chief, Chris Gabehart, praised Gayle on his success.

Ahead of the first race of the Round of Eight, the South Point 400, Gayle was featured in an interview. During the pre-race interaction, Gabehart opened up about how Gayle paved his way to the top in his NASCAR career. He pointed out that the #11 driver's crew chief had no prior experience in motorsports, and now he's competing in the Championship Four race this season.

Denny Hamlin's current crew chief previously worked with Erik Jones before joining Joe Gibbs Racing. During his time with Jones, the duo made it to the first round of the playoffs and secured two wins in the series. However, this season, Gayle has guided the #11 Toyota Camry XSE driver to the championship battle, securing six wins.

Reflecting on Gayle's success, the team competition director appreciated his efforts and told RACER.com:

“It was so cool to hear his story of how he got started in racing from nothing. He had no idea what racing was all about, and now he’s here and gets to race for a championship in Phoenix. There is no one more deserving. His work ethic is huge. He’s a good person. He’s a team player. He’s been handed a great opportunity, and look at what he’s doing with it.”

Even though Denny Hamlin was nervous about switching his crew chief, this decision turned out great for the JGR driver. Under Chris Gayle's guidance, Hamlin achieved his 60th Cup Series victory last week. Additionally, this season, Hamlin has secured the most wins since 2020, when he clinched seven victories.

---

"I appreciate all of you so much": Denny Hamlin got emotional after his 60th career win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin reached a new milestone during the South Point 400, held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 12, 2025. He clinched his 60th career win and got emotional during the post-race interview after celebrating the feat.

The #11 Toyota Camry XSE driver has dominated the post-season this year and had clear intentions of winning the 267-lap race since the beginning. He secured the pole position by staying 0.04 seconds ahead of his teammate, Chase Briscoe, in the qualifying session. Despite a pit stop blunder, Hamlin crossed the finish line 1.533 seconds ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson and secured his spot in the Championship Four race.

After celebrating his second victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin had an emotional moment. Instead of booing his fans, he claimed to be grateful for them and stated:

“It definitely means a lot. This is the point where I kind of give the fans some sh*t, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much. Obviously, want to say hi to my dad, family back at home, all the friends that came out here for Vegas, hoping we get 60.”

Denny Hamlin currently leads the Cup Series points table with 4090 points to his credit. He has secured six wins, 17 top tens, 14 top fives, and four pole positions in 32 starts this season. Additionally, he has led 813 laps with an average start of 12.344.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Edited by Karan Yadav