Denny Hamlin finished just outside the top three at Charlotte Motor Speedway, dropping the No. 11 team to a 49‑point deficit behind series leader Kyle Larson.
Hamlin’s point swing at Charlotte
The No. 11 earned a fifth‑place finish, but a pit‑road penalty knocked the crew out of Stage 1 points. The sanction occurred when a pit crew member stepped over the wall while attempting to grab a tire that had rolled into the neighboring box, costing Hamlin valuable points and widening the championship gap.
Speed struggles as the track cooled
Hamlin noted that the car had adequate short‑run pace but lost long‑run speed once the track temperature dropped. “We tanked in the final 15 laps,” he said. “The long‑run strength we had faded as the track cooled, and we fell behind the pace we needed.” He also cited an unfavorable stall from a rain‑out qualified 12th, which exposed the car to blockages early in the race.
Impact on the Joe Gibbs Racing lineup
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell finished 1‑2 at Charlotte, closing in on their teammate’s position and tightening the intra‑team competition. While Briscoe won the previous two races, Hamlin reported uncertainty about the missing performance that allowed his rivals to stay ahead.
As the points battle accelerates, Hamlin stresses a need for tighter execution on pit road and faster long‑run lap times to regain the lead in the championship march toward the season finale.
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