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Denny Hamlin did not ask for a crew chief change for his No. 11 team and didn’t see it coming when Joe Gibbs Racing made that decision. “I certainly was shocked by it,” Hamlin said Friday before th…
Denny Hamlin was surprised by Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision to change his crew chief for the No. 11 team, as he did not request the change himself. Hamlin learned about the change just after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway in November. Chris Gabehart has been promoted to competition director, and Hamlin will now be working with Chris Gayle as his crew chief. Despite the unexpected change, Hamlin expressed gratitude for the success he had with Gabehart, winning 22 races together over six seasons. Hamlin looks forward to working with Gayle, whom he has previously worked with in the Xfinity Series. This transition marks Hamlin’s sixth crew chief in his 20th season in NASCAR.
