Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on enduring brake issues while battling Christopher Bell at Iowa. He admitted to having a ‘negative mindset’ throughout the weekend.
Iowa could’ve been a disaster for Joe Gibbs Racing. Both Hamlin and Chase Briscoe battled brake issues on Saturday’s practice.
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Hamlin’s No. 11 team had to make sweeping changes overnight and was forced to start at the rear after replacing its brake coolant ducts. Nonetheless, all four JGR cars finished in the top 6.
On the latest episode ofActions Detrimental, Hamlin wasn’t sure he could’ve passed a dominant Bell.
“There’s no way the way I had to drive it, I had no confidence in corner entry and what it was going to do when I hit the pedal before the race, the day before, the morning of, all negative vibes, it had been a long time since I went into a race with that negative mindset.”
Hamlin pointed out that the same brakes worked well for 20 races:
“There’s a combination of track length, what kind of breaking energy that you have when you press the pedal? How fast is that rotor going? It probably would work fine at Nashville, or I don’t know somewhere else. I think Iowa just fell right in a unique spot,” he said.
Denny Hamlin went on to finish fifth and extend his lead over the field by 103 points. The Virginia native remains a strong contender for the regular season title with three races to spare.
His nearest competition is Iowa winner Ty Gibbs, while Ryan Blaney trails closely in third.
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Denny Hamlin shares grim expectations before Iowa race
NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin waits by his car as rain falls before the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, May 31, 2026.
Denny Hamlin had a pretty grueling race at Iowa. Starting from the rear, Hamlin reached the top-20 by Stage 1, before making the top-6 in Stage 2.
He had to beat the likes of Ross Chastain, who led 40 laps in the 350-lap event. The JGR ace was still reeling from the disastrous start during a post-race interview.
“I switched my goals to okay if I don’t have any breaks, I think that if I can get some cars to wreck, I stay on the lead laps, somehow I can finish in the top 25 and that honestly was the goal,” he said.
Denny Hamlin is committed through 2027 with Joe Gibbs Racing. The 45-year-old previously hinted at retirement despite being at the top of his game.
The NASCAR superstar missed out on a Cup Series title by three points last year. He was also the most winning driver with six trophies in his name.
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Hamlin has already won four times this season, at Las Vegas, Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono, not counting his All-Star win at Dover. Notably, Iowa marks his third consecutive finish inside the top-5.
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Christopher Bell Calls It a ‘Bad Second-Place Finish’ As JGR Teammate Ty Gibbs Secures Iowa Win
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