“I was worried,” admitted Denny Hamlin when discussing the forced pairing with his new crew chief, Chris Gayle, last offseason. But Gayle’s reputation was built during his time in the Xfinity Series, where he collected a staggering 37 wins with multiple drivers, notably guiding Ty Gibbs to the 2022 series championship. His Joe Gibbs Racing stint began in 2002, but his Cup resume was seen as modest until his recent breakout.

The ultimate validation of his talent came when he was given an ultimatum: take the No. 11 role or pursue an offer from another Cup team, leading Hamlin to ultimately tell Joe Gibbs, “Do whatever you think is best.” And now, with the anticipation building for the season finale at Phoenix, especially around Denny Hamlin’s pursuit of his first title, it could easily b

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