Dale Earnhardt Jr. was shocked by Denny Hamlin’s recent crew chief change at Joe Gibbs Racing. During a recent episode of Earnhardt Jr’s podcast, “Dale Jr. Download”, Earnhardt Jr. delved into Chris Gabehart’s switch from Hamlin’s crew chief to his new role as competition director of Joe Gibbs Racing. For the upcoming season, Chris Gayle will be Hamlin’s crew chief.
“I guess the Gabehart, Denny Hamlin change was a big surprise,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said during his podcast (below).
“They seemed really in sync, bonded, in sync. Denny is in a really good position to compete for championships this year. (2024) Wasn’t one of those years where we felt like he was a contender for the title, but it’s been pretty much every year he’s been one of the guys we thought could have a shot at.
“And so, for them to mash the pause button on that and make a complete change, a shift in a whole different direction was really a surprise. But I guess the idea is there, the future for Joe Gibbs Racing is the most important thing, and this strengthens that.”
Getty Images/Jared C. Tilton
In 2024, Hamlin qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, but did not reach the Championship 4 this season and finished eighth in the final drivers standings. During the 2024 season he won three races and had a dozen Top 5 finishes.
Earnhardt Jr. was not overly positive on the change to Hamlin’s No. 11 team and seemed to wonder about the racing future for the three-time Daytona 500 winner. Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup Series career began in 2005 and the upcoming season will be his 20th as a full-time driver in the series.
“When they say it’s time for me to do something different, it’s really time. I guess his work (Gabehart) ethic and attention to detail will serve Joe Gibbs racing in this new role and capacity. And I think he’ll absolutely be a massive asset to them going forward. While it’s probably not the best thing for Denny or the 11 team,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
“I mean, they’ll be in great hands and Denny will probably be very competitive and it’s not the end of the road for him. But yeah, I mean it was surprising, but I thought Denny might have one or two more years and then Denny might say, I’m done.”
Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team will kick off the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series on February 2, 2025, with the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The green flag is scheduled to drop at 8:00 p.m. (ET).
