A recent race at Watkins Glen has thrown Denny Hamlin’s team into the spotlight, not just because of a lackluster performance but due to harsh criticism from one of the most crucial figures within his crew. The frustration was not merely about Hamlin’s race execution but instead directed at Toyota, the supplier of engines for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). With mounting pressure in the final stretch of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, any cracks in the system are amplified—and Toyota appears to be feeling the heat from their partners.
Hamlin’s day at Watkins Glen quickly spiraled into chaos. After a Lap 1 collision with Ryan Blaney, which forced the Team Penske driver to retire early, Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota sustained substantial damage. This incident immediately put him on the back foot, making it nearly impossible for him to fight for a decent finish. Things went from bad to worse in the final stage of the race when Hamlin was involved in another wreck—this time with Brad Keselowski on Lap 46. The result was a spinout that inflicted even more damage on his Toyota.
It wasn’t just Hamlin’s inability to escape the wrecks that turned heads but the underlying issues with Toyota’s performance that had been brewing throughout the season. These concerns came to a head at Watkins Glen, prompting a key member of Hamlin’s team to lash out at the manufacturer for their perceived failures.
Toyota’s role in the downfall at Watkins Glen is not an isolated case. Earlier this season, Toyota Racing Development (TRD) was responsible for an engine violation that led to significant penalties for Hamlin and JGR. As the builder of the engines, TRD admitted to a critical error that involved disassembling and rebuilding one of Hamlin’s race-winning engines instead of submitting it for a mandatory NASCAR inspection【6†source】. The result? A 75-point deduction in both the driver and team standings, along with the loss of 10 valuable playoff points. For a team gunning for the championship, such penalties are crippling.
While Toyota’s President of Racing Development, David Wilson, took full responsibility for the error, it left the Hamlin camp in a precarious position as the playoffs approached. The slip-up didn’t just cost Hamlin valuable points but seemed to signal a deeper issue with Toyota’s engine management processes. This sentiment has only grown louder following the disastrous outcome at Watkins Glen, where Toyota’s performance once again appeared subpar【6†source】【7†source】.
After the race at Watkins Glen, a key member of Hamlin’s team—believed to be someone involved in the technical side of car preparation—spoke out against Toyota’s ongoing engine issues. While Hamlin, ever the diplomat, chose not to direct his frustrations entirely at Toyota, this crew member made it clear that Toyota’s problems were no longer tolerable.
The exact details of the critique pointed to a lack of consistency from Toyota in their engine performance and reliability, which has hampered the team’s ability to compete at a high level consistently. Watkins Glen was simply the latest in a string of races where Toyota’s performance left much to be desired. These technical shortcomings are especially painful for a team that has the driver and crew capable of winning races but is being held back by mechanical issues【7†source】.
Hamlin’s team will now head into the next few races under enormous pressure. As the playoffs draw near, they find themselves in a tough spot, needing to make up ground quickly if they hope to remain championship contenders. Bristol Motor Speedway presents an opportunity for Hamlin to bounce back, as it’s a track where he has enjoyed recent success. However, the underlying tension between JGR and Toyota threatens to undermine their efforts if the issues are not addressed soon【7†source】.
With the playoffs looming, both the team and Toyota must find a way to resolve these issues. For Hamlin, who is still chasing his first Cup Series championship, every race is critical, and any further mistakes from Toyota could have dire consequences. The team member’s criticism of Toyota serves as a warning—one that TRD must heed if they want to help Hamlin and JGR reach their full potential.
Watkins Glen may have been a disaster for Denny Hamlin, but it has also shed light on a broader issue within Toyota’s NASCAR operations. While Hamlin and his crew must take some responsibility for their performance, the underlying tension between the team and their engine supplier is impossible to ignore. If Toyota cannot resolve these ongoing problems, it could spell disaster for one of NASCAR’s most high-profile teams as they attempt to navigate the treacherous waters of the playoffs.
The pressure is now on Toyota to deliver. Whether they can rise to the challenge and provide Hamlin with the tools he needs to win remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the clock is ticking
Crucial member of Denny Hamlin’s team SLAMS Toyota after a poor performance at Watkins Glen
