"I think we f***ed up": Denny Hamlin calls out JGR for 'messed up' pit strategy that cost him a shot at Daytona 500 win

Denny Hamlin believes a messed-up pit strategy cost him his fourth Daytona 500 victory. Hamlin finished the race 17th, two positions behind his teammate Martin Truex Jr. Hamlin stated that he had a shot at victory before the final pitstop cycle, where he pitted with 23 laps left for the checkered flag.

Denny Hamlin was in the top five before his final green flag pitstop when JGR decided to pit both Hamlin and Truex Jr. The plan was for both drivers to pit and rejoin together, thus gaining time on the out lap. However, Truex Jr. had extra fuel, hence his stop was much quicker.

Hamlin had a much longer stop losing the draft behind his teammate. The duo lost positions as other drivers pitted later in greater numbers, gaining time on their out laps.

Hamlin said on his podcast Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin:

“I came out from the last pitstop in 18th and I basically told Chris [Gabehart, crew chief] ‘we’re ****ed’ – I had nowhere to go. [Before that] I thought I was in the position I needed to be, I was seventh and first non-Ford. So the last pitstop cycle happens and we just… I think we messed up. A handful of Fords pitted, literally five, and then me and Truex pitted by ourselves. I think we ****ed up.”

The 42-year-old added:

“Truex only needed probably three seconds of fuel, so he comes off pit road two seconds ahead of me, and the time we lost not being bumper to bumper leaving the pit road, that is another two seconds of detriment – because we’re drafting as soon as we leave pit road. You can lose two seconds around that out-lap if you’re not bumper to bumper.

“Add that to the two seconds lost on pitlane, that took me from seventh or eighth to basically last. I was screwed at that point. That was a key, key moment.”

After his final pit stop, the #11 driver couldn’t make up the lost ground. The multi-car wreck ahead of him didn’t help either, as his car was damaged.

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Denny Hamlin praises JTG Daugherty's strategy

Hamlin said the JTG Daugherty team was able to execute a strategy that helped them gain positions in the final laps.

The strategy helped Ricky Stenhouse Jr. avoid the chaos behind him and take advantage of the double overtime when he made crucial moves to win the race.

Denny Hamlin spoke about race winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr.:

“Ricky was 20th when the [final] green flag stops started, so not a good spot,” Hamlin explained. “But he executed really well, he moved himself up the Chevy line by getting into and off pit road well, and the Chevys ran longer, so they didn’t need as much fuel to the finish, and they pitted with the bulk of cars so they linked up quicker.”

“Chevy won the strategy game, in my opinion.”