Joe Gibbs responds to Denny Hamlin wrecking grandson in controversial playoff incident

Joe Gibbs has spoken out about a flashpoint in Sunday's New Hampshire NASCAR Cup Series race, which saw two of his team's cars make significant contact.

Title-chasing Denny Hamlin's radio was making his frustration at team-mate Ty Gibbs (the only non-playoff JGR car) clear in the laps leading up to the incident, with the owner's young grandson fighting him hard for position just outside the top ten.

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Hamlin eventually bumped Gibbs into Turn 1, sending him spinning and drawing a caution before wondering aloud if people within the team are afraid to give feedback to the 22-year-old.

Speaking after the race, the Pro Football and NASCAR Hall of Famer pushed the response to the incident back onto the drivers themselves, putting the responsibility on their shoulders in the week ahead.

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Joe Gibbs: We'll let the drivers handle it

Speaking to the media after the incident, he said: "It's always the drivers that have to handle that. They're the ones that have got the wheel, and that's always the case. So that's what we'll do.

"Those guys all are the ones driving the cars, and so those guys will get together on their own and figure it out."

Gibbs did admit that the personal aspect of the incident was tricky for him personally, but insisted that his own feelings wouldn't matter in dealing with the aftermath of the controversial wreck.

"It’s hard for me," he said. "It’s not me. It’s the drivers. That’s the way I’ve always looked at this."

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