"If we went out there and we won, it wouldn’t surprise me" - Denny Hamlin's reaction to JGR and Toyota's return to top of NASCAR

With his efforts in last week's race at Richmond Raceway, Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, collected the first win of the 2022 season for himself, the team, and manufacturer Toyota.

Denny Hamlin admitted that he would not be amazed if he won or finished 15th at Martinsville. He explained that the team makes decisions on a weekly basis rather than on a long-term basis.

He went on to say that a lot of statements were made based on imitation runs. In his statement, Denny Hamlin stated that:

“It’s not that easy. Unfortunately, I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. Honestly, I told a few guys that if we went out there and we won, it wouldn’t surprise me. If we ran 15th this week, it would not surprise me. It’s so week-to-week right now whether you can guess right on the setup. And a lot of that guessing comes from what did simulation tell you.”

Responding to claims that Joe Gibbs Racing team and Toyota have returned to the top, Hamlin has asked fans to be patient for at least a month, as the information provided is uncertain.

Hamlin had no idea what to anticipate when he drove the No. 11 onto the track for the first seven races of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. This was demonstrated by his mixed results.

Denny Hamlin's victory has given JGR and Toyota a positive outlook for the future

Denny Hamlin's victory meant a lot to both the manufacturer and Joe Gibbs Racing, giving both a positive outlook for the future. In a previous race at Phoenix Raceway, there was some concern that Toyota would not lead any of the 312 laps.

Toyota struggled to score a win from their front-running position in the last six rounds before Richmond; therefore, this was their first victory in 2022. On Twitter, Toyota Racing celebrated Hamlin for the win.

Toyota won the Phoenix playoff race from 2017 through 2019, but none of their cars have won a playoff race there since the championship moved in 2020.

Joe Gibbs Racing's 12-race losing streak came to an end with Hamlin's victory. That may not appear like much, but entering this season, Gibbs had won 46 of the previous 108 races.

JGR was excited about Hamlin's win, where they went on Twitter and stated:

"A day we won’t forget"

It also doesn't guarantee that Hamlin will continue his winning ways at Martinsville, where he has five Cup victories in his career. That's how much the Next Generation car has changed NASCAR's competitive landscape.