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Denny Hamlin reacts to Chase Briscoe getting the jump on him at Darlington, cites No. 19 team's execution

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones09/02/25brianjones_93
Chase Briscoe Denny Hamlin
Aug 31, 2025; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe (19) leads driver Denny Hamlin (11) out of turn four during the Cookouts Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin was impressed with Chase Briscoe‘s performance at the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin reacted to the execution of Briscoe’s team and how the No. 19 car got a jump on him during the race.

“On the initial start, I was like, ‘Go to the 45 [Tyler Reddick], let him know what his job is here on this initial start. Understand the job,'” Denny Hamlin said. “I look back, and I take off, and Tyler is just back there, just not ever close to the rear bumper of my car.

“The 19 (Briscoe) gets the jump, we battle side-by-side, and unfortunately, the way the timing marks work, when a caution is thrown, it reverts back to the previous scoring loop that your car crossed, and the 19 was ahead of me. …The initial start is so important because once you can get out front at Darlington, it’s such an advantage, until you get damage, which I had at one point.”

Denny Hamlin is right behind Chase Briscoe in the playoff standings

Hamlin continued, “[Briscoe] was able to control the beginning. I just rode behind him for a little while there, waiting on his tires to wear out. By the time they wear out, they pit, and we do this whole thing all over again. The leader just has a tremendous advantage, and they just executed a flawless race on pit lane. Darlington has become that. It is a qualifying race and an execution on pit road race. Nothing more than that.”

Hamlin won pole for the Darlington race and finished seventh. Briscoe started second and led 309 laps en route to a victory. Briscoe have advanced to the Round of the 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, and Hamlin is in second place in the playoff standings.

After the Darlington race, Briscoe was asked if the victory was the best put-together win of his career. “I felt like last year I drove a better race just from start to finish. My car, I didn’t feel like was necessarily the best car, just the circumstances and everything,” he said. “I definitely felt like last year I drove a better race and executed. Tonight I hit the wall super hard with 40 to go. That was stupid when I did it. Eight to go, I hit it hard. I didn’t run a very clean race.”