Denny Hamlin fires expletive radio message as he complains about car at Michigan
Denny Hamlin fires expletive radio message as he complains about car at Michigan
Rory Robinson Sun, June 7, 2026 at 9:11 PM UTC
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Denny Hamlin competes during FireKeepers Casino practice
Denny Hamlin's radio conversation with his team at Michigan showcased his frustrations (Image: Getty)
NASCAR star Denny Hamlin learned exactly how fast a racing weekend can go from incredible to forgettable at Michigan International Speedway after car frustrations led the Joe Gibbs Racing star to tell his pit crew just how he felt on the radio.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver entered the weekend riding one of the strongest stretches of his 2026 campaign with victories at Las Vegas, Nashville, and the All-Star Race. Hamlin has also posted runner-up finishes at Martinsville and Texas.
The NASCAR star's streak of good races continued after originally securing pole position for the FireKeepers Casino 400 race and robbing Carson Hocevar of the position on his home track in Michigan.
Meanwhile, Richard Childress announced who will drive the late Kyle Busch's car.
Richard Childress confirms who will drive Kyle Busch's car for NASCAR season
Denny Hamlin is starting at back of field after winning NASCAR Michigan pole
Hamlin became the seventh driver in NASCAR history to win at least 50 pole positions and 50 Cup Series races. The rest of the list includes prestigious Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, and more.
He playfully teased the hometown hero and attempted to lighten the mood by recalling his past desire to win a pole in his hometown. Hamlin's luck ran out when he suffered a flat tire during qualifying, which caused substantial underbody damage.
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Hamlin pits during the FireKeepers Casino 400 (Image: Getty)
The damage to the car prompted Hamlin's team to repair it, despite knowing it would result in an unapproved adjustment penalty. Hamlin admitted Saturday that the situation was unavoidable before confirming that he would start the race from the back of the field.
He started 32nd and immediately began working forward, but his radio feed indicated a car that never felt comfortable. Hamlin told his crew chief, Chris Gayle, "I am so f------ loose," early into Stage 1.
The complaints continued as he pushed up to 28th position and reported, "Still just far too edgy, about an 8, far into the center." Gayle asked if the issues were persistent throughout the race or gradually worsened, and indicated he had a potential adjustment ready for the next stop.
Gayle's response wasn't entirely clear over the radio, and Hamlin ultimately slipped to 32nd at the start of Stage 2 despite showing flashes of speed on longer runs. His best lap of 38.783 seconds ranked among the quickest in the field, but turning that raw pace into track position never came.
Stage 1 ended with NASSCAR fans split between frustration and optimism after picking Hamlin as an early favorite to win. One supporter wrote: "I'm riding with him today. He's been saying that with increasing urgency through the stage. Passing cars even so. Forward."
Others focused on the team's execution on pit road. "That pit stop did not look ideal..." one fan posted, while another added: "Two pit stops are not good."
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Source: “AOL Sports”
