Denny Hamlin points to team moment that lost him the Brickyard 400

With 34 laps to go, the green flag waved for what would be the final restart of the 2026 Brickyard 400.

Denny Hamlin, making his 18th start in the race, held the lead with Corey Heim to his outside. The part-time 23XI Racing driver surged ahead of Hamlin, clearing him into Turn 1, but Hamlin got back underneath him by diving super low in the short chute approaching Turn 2.

Heim put Hamlin the position to either lift or collide and his boss backed off, but that (and a shallow entry) cost the Joe Gibbs Racing driver dearly, as he had no momentum at the exit of Turn 2. Hamlin was swarmed on the backstretch and quickly dropped to fifth, where he remained for the rest of the race.

While most were focused on the moment with Hamlin and Heim, the veteran driver blamed the loss on what happened a few seconds before that.

No pusher

Watch: Mixed emotions for Hamlin after Indy P5 finish

“Yeah, everyone is trying to fight to win the race. When you’re clear by an inch, you’re going to take that inch,” said Hamlin in defense of Heim.

“It’s really more on us and the 20 [Christopher Bell] and the 19 [Chase Briscoe] of just not orchestrating good pushes there. We came detached at the wrong time. I thought the 20 obviously was on board with getting us the push. It was way too early before the restart zone. I can’t go till we get to the restart zone. He said that Briscoe was on him way, way early or laying back, one of the two.

“Yeah, that’s how you lose ’em. These restarts, when everyone kind of knows when you’re going to go, it’s about the pushes. That’s essentially where I got the lead from the 67 the restart before. Just came back the other way around. I, maybe, was in there just a hair into turn two. He shut the door. I mean, yeah, everyone’s fighting for a big Brickyard victory.”

It’s clear on the replay that while Logano gave Heim a mighty shove on the restart, the three JGR cars on the bottom were all disconnected, leaving Hamlin with no answer to the outside run.

Winning as an owner, losing as a driver

It’s the second consecutive year where Hamlin won the Indianapolis race as an owner, while also losing out on the only crown jewel win he has yet to secure as a driver. Heim has signed a deal to drive for 23XI full-time in 2027, but even before his official rookie season, the rising star already has multiple Cup wins.

“It’s earned on their side and it’s on us as a team on the other side,” said Hamlin about balancing the emotions after the race. “I don’t know. I’m sure maybe I could have done something different on the restart with the timing of it. Man, just getting a shove so early just didn’t allow me to get my car straight before taking off. Logano really timed the bump to the 67.

“I don’t know what we do different. We’re part of circumstances where the inside line didn’t get organized. Really proud of 23XI overall. That part-time effort that Bootie and Corey is putting together, most times they’re on the racetrack, they’re our fastest car. They’re doing a heck of a job. Definitely a well-deserved victory.”

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– The Motorsport.com Team

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