Denny Hamlin found himself in an unfortunate situation as an innocent bystander during the race. The Toyota team managed to secure their fourth win of the 2024 season at Talladega, but it was overshadowed by a multi-car wreck on the final lap. Unfortunately, four of their drivers were involved in the incident, with three of them causing their own demise.
During the final stage of the race, the Toyota teams experienced a rather embarrassing moment. After pitting together, they formed a single file and started building up speed. led the pack, with , , , ., and following closely behind in that order.
The incident occurred in Turn 3, where Jones lost control of his No:43 car. Wallace’s No:23 Camry made contact with Jones, causing him to crash into the wall. Hamlin, who was trailing behind, couldn’t avoid the chaos and ended up getting caught in the incident. Fortunately, the other two JGR drivers managed to escape unscathed.
Replays of the incident indicate that three drivers played a significant role. Jones suddenly veering to the left and slowing down set off the chain of events. Wallace struggled to maintain control of his car, and Nemechek’s aggressive push on the 23XI Racing car also contributed to the chaos. It’s difficult to assign blame to any one driver for the incident.
Hamlin, the driver of the No:11 Toyota, was truly an innocent bystander in the whole ordeal. He admitted to being unsure of what exactly happened but suggested that a poorly executed push towards the front may have caused the crash. He sees the incident as somewhat poetic considering their overall strategy.
It was fortunate that a Toyota driver emerged victorious from the race, as the incident could have had long-lasting consequences. The three TRD teams will need to have a discussion about what transpired and find a solution before the Daytona race, which marks the end of the regular season.