Denny Hamlin’s crew chief downplays talk about momentum in NASCAR - “We’re talking about 4 joker tracks”

Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, has argued "momentum is not a thing" in NASCAR following Joey Logano’s win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gabehart backed his claim by saying the current playoff schedule held four "joker" tracks in the first six races.

Gabehart started working with Denny Hamlin as a crew chief for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team in 2019. They won their first race in the season opener at the Daytona 500. Since becoming teammates, Gabehart and Hamlin have won a little over 20 races together.

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the No. 11 crew chief said momentum was a non-factor considering Logano was out of the playoffs last week but now locked in the Championship 4.

“I’m aware that media members need storylines to take about,” Gabehart said. “But you don’t have to look any further back than this past Sunday in Joey Logano and the 22 team to talk about momentum. I mean, just eight days prior, they were out.”

Hamlin’s crew chief added that four ‘joker’ tracks were scheduled in the first six races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

“Let’s not forget it. We’re talking about four joker tracks in the first six races of the playoffs, on top of it.”

While Gabehart didn’t mention which tracks he was referring to, one could be the Talladega Superspeedway for its infamous unpredictable racing.

Gabehart further argued about momentum in the current format, saying:

“Momentum is not a thing, especially not with this format, especially not with this year’s rounds of races, the way they laid out, and the 22 team is all the proof of that anyone would need.”

The South Point 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway witnessed Joey Logano take victory after getting eliminated in last week’s race at Charlotte. He was reinstated into playoff contention following Alex Bowman’s disqualification because the No. 48 car failed the post-race inspection.

Denny Hamlin crossed the line in P8 after starting in P4. Meanwhile, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Christopher Bell, finished second after leading the field for 155 laps.

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Denny Hamlin reflected on his challenging race at Las Vegas

Denny Hamlin reflected on his P8 finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he made up for several mistakes throughout the race. The No. 11 JGR driver dealt with a slow pitstop on lap 33, a loose wheel after stage 2, and a faulty right front wheel causing vibration.

On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin talked about the crucial moment of staying on the lead lap despite the mishaps on the pit road and the car, saying:

“We’re on our heels from that point on. From then to the end of stage two, we were just struggling. Luckily, we were able to fight and stay on the lead lap there when we had those old tires… that was a crucial moment for us to just keep fighting and stay on the lead lap, and that allowed us to grind away this type of finish.”

While Denny Hamlin crossed the line in P8, he is still below the playoff elimination line. The 43-year-old is -27 below the bubble along with Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Elliott.

The next race of the Round of 8 is scheduled at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27.