Joe Gibbs Racing chief makes Denny Hamlin NASCAR lawsuit reveal

Denny Hamlin has it all going on as NASCAR heads deeper into the 2025 Cup Series playoff season.

Not only is the 44-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing star inching closer to that elusive first ever championship, he is also at the center of a bitter court battle with NASCAR.

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Hamlin is already locked into the next round of the playoffs after claiming his 59th Cup Series victory at St Louis last weekend, and on Saturday night he will line up in Bristol for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race (7.30pm ET).

You might imagine the court case he and fellow 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan are fighting right now could distract Denny from that title bid, even in a small way. A trial date has been set for December, with the future direction of the sport at stake.

But according to Hamlin’s JGR crew chief Chris Gayle, he retains total focus on the one thing that has so far eluded him in a glittering career - a Cup Series title.

Hamlin has total focus on championship bid

Ahead of this weekend’s action, Gayle revealed on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio: "I spend a little more time with him and I watch him come in here for competition meetings and for our simulator sessions and I don't hear anything about the lawsuit, what's going on at home.

“It's totally focused on the race car, on the 11 car and what we need to do to make it better, whether it's that competition meeting or whether it's our simulator session. So, you know, I just take it as though he has enough experience.”

While Hamlin remains at the peak of his powers - five wins already this season - retirement is absolutely starting to close in now. His current contract expires at the end of the 2027 season and he admits it is likely to be his last in the sport.

Tunnel vision for Denny, no distractions

With such a short runway now, Gayle says his star driver has tunnel vision is achieving his goals before departing the grid. And nothing, not even a huge deal like this court battle, will distract him.

“He knows what he wants out of this last part of his career and he's very focused on not letting these other things that could be distractions for others be a distraction for him."

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