The choice was between staying out front and pitting for two tires or going for all four. And Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gayle, went with his gut, opting for four fresh tires at Phoenix—a gamble that didn’t pay off. After the race, Gayle reflected on the crucial call, standing by the decision.

“ I know the time he was looking at stuff, preparing for that qualifying lap weeks ahead,” he said after the race. “I know that. And that’s what I hate.

“I hate that it came down to some chaotic late-race restart where he was the dominant car and didn’t get the win. You know, for a second I could think, ‘Oh well if I took two tires, I don’t know if that would have worked.’ If I was doing it, this was their only shot.”

It was a gut-wrenching defeat for Hamlin , who secured a record of le

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