21 years into his Cup Series career, Denny Hamlin has the one thing that sets him apart aside from his talent: experience. And he's using it not just for himself but also to guide the next generation of drivers. 

Hamlin has consistently offered advice and answered calls from fellow drivers across the garage, even as he continues to chase the one accomplishment throughout his career: a NASCAR Cup Series championship.  

Hamlin, who spoke to the media in Chicagoland after taking pole, was asked if his approach to exchanging information with drivers and passing on the knowledge he possesses had changed over the years. At 45 and with a little over a season left in his Cup career, Hamlin's answer couldn't be wiser.

In the post-qualifying press interaction video uploaded on YouTube by Cup Scene, Hamlin said, “I have a responsibility at Joe Gibbs Racing.” He spoke about having an advantage over his younger teammates in knowing the most about getting through each day of the race weekend and what others can expect.

The 64-time Cup race winner elaborated, “I feel like it's my responsibility to let them know what I think they're going to fight tomorrow because of the inexperience that they have.”

Hamlin’s passes on advice to all JGR drivers, including Ty Gibbs, who is his closest contending teammate for the title. But not just JGR, Hamlin often answers calls from his 23XI drivers. Being a co-owner as well as a competing driver, Hamlin still doesn’t shy away from passing on information. 

The 23XI co-owner said, “Same with the 23XI guys, sharing information. I’m racing against myself, really, with those guys, so it’s just part of the responsibility, and I figure, while I’m here for this a little longer, might as well just open it up and if they beat me, they beat me.”

But this is rather new for Hamlin; he hasn’t always been this way. 

Hamlin on being the advised, not the advisor

The journalist who brought up the topic of Hamlin's passing on advice spoke about how he hadn’t opened up to Dale Earnhardt Jr as a broadcaster about taking a certain line in Daytona or how Carl Edwards, Hamlin’s former teammate, spoke about wishing he had picked Hamlin’s brain more. 

Hamlin responded during the press conference, “I think it’s very valid to observe that. I think that Joe Gibbs Racing got younger. When I was closed off a little more, I had Hall of Fame teammates, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and one and on.”

Hamlin said what his approach was like when he wasn’t the veteran of the JGR team. He said, “I was more; just let me hear what they got to say.”

It’s probably this adaptable nature of Hamlin, of knowing when he should do the listening and when he should be the one providing information, that makes him someone Joe Gibbs Racing wants to retain even though he’s set himself a 2027 retirement date.

Do you think drivers should be passing on information to their championship contenders? Let us know.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason