Denny Hamlin in stitches as Shane van Gisbergen got stuck in same spot his dog took a dump before Talladega race

Denny Hamlin was left in splits after a hilarious coincidence involving Shane van Gisbergen at Talladega Superspeedway. The Trackhouse Racing rookie endured one of his wildest NASCAR weekends yet, but for the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran, it was an off-track moment that stole the show.

The Athletic's Jeff Gluck wrote on X on Monday, October 20:

“Apropos of nothing: Yesterday during the track walk, I saw SVG’s dog Ronald take a dump not far from where SVG got stuck.”

Hours later, Hamlin doubled down on the humor, writing:

“I have stared at this tweet for 20 min and absolutely cannot stop laughing 😂😂😂”

The moment came during Sunday’s YellowWood 400 - the middle race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8. It turned out to be a comeback drive for Shane van Gisbergen, who showed just how far he has come in his rookie season.

Starting 31st, SVG made progress in the opening laps, running as high as second during Stage 1 and remaining firmly in the lead pack. However, on Lap 111, entering the pit lane during green-flag stops, he hit a damp patch near the tri-oval and lost control of his No. 88 Chevrolet. It was apparently where his dog had made its mark the previous day.

The car spun and brushed the cars of Christopher Bell and William Byron, leaving SVG momentarily stranded in the grass. Despite the mishap, the three-time Supercars champion recovered to finish 11th, missing out on a top-10 by a mere 0.030 seconds. It was one of his most composed oval drives yet.

Denny Hamlin, meanwhile, had little to lose at Talladega after locking himself into the Championship 4 with his Las Vegas win a week earlier. He ran a conservative race, avoiding the big wrecks and finishing outside the top 20 while still strengthening his path toward Phoenix. With his playoff position secure, he now turns to Martinsville - a track where he’s one of the all-time masters.

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Denny Hamlin hails Shane van Gisbergen as “the greatest road course NASCAR driver in history”

Shane Van Gisbergen (88) and Denny Hamlin (11) during the South Point 400. Source: Getty

Speaking earlier this month, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver described Shane van Gisbergen as the best road course racer NASCAR has ever seen and said that it’s not even close. Through 2025, Denny Hamlin notched a league-best six wins. The only man close to that is SVG, who has five victories, all coming on road courses: Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma, Watkins Glen, and the Charlotte Roval.

Hamlin explained that even his Trackhouse Racing teammates, with access to the same data and setups, can’t match his pace. He also addressed comparisons between Shane van Gisbergen and NASCAR legends like Jeff Gordon, pointing out that the competition today was far closer than in previous eras, via the Actions Detrimental podcast:

“Does he (Jordan Bianchi) really think that Jeff Gordon in his prime would beat SVG today in a Next Gen car? Not a chance. Jeff Gordon was not winning by this margin. Jeff Gordon was not racing cars this equal to everyone else's. Jeff Gordon was in a Hendrick Motorsports car that was Ray Everham'ed up. That is not even a remote comparison. “Now, I’m talking about someone in Jeff Gordon that’s on the Mount Rushmore of greatest drivers ever. But when it comes to turning left and right, they are not close. SVG is the greatest road course NASCAR driver in history. And he’s only been doing it for a year and a half. And it’s undisputed.” (37:35 onwards)

Since SVG's stunning debut win on the streets of Chicago in 2023, he’s redefined what’s possible for an international driver adapting to stock cars. His five straight road course victories streak is one short of Jeff Gordon’s long-standing record of six.

What makes it more impressive is that Shane van Gisbergen’s oval form is catching up fast. His recent performances, including a near top-10 finish at Talladega and a top-10 finish at Kansas, demonstrate a driver learning the nuances of turning left every week.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam