“Didn’t work out”: Denny Hamlin reacts after Pocono strategy falls flat, as JGR teammate Chase Briscoe seals the victory

Denny Hamlin had a clear shot at another Pocono win, but a mid-race pit strategy call shifted it for him. In a post-race interview, Hamlin explained how a caution flag and timing on pit stops left him chasing teammate Chase Briscoe, who went on to take the checkered flag.

The clip, shared by Sports on Prime on X, features Denny Hamlin giving an interview after finishing second in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway. The caption read,

“.@dennyhamlin reflects on his day after a 2nd place finish at Pocono. #NASCARonPrime”

In the video, Denny Hamlin discusses how a caution period right after a group of cars—including Briscoe’s—pitted gave them an edge. Hamlin was caught out, having stayed on track for one more lap. By the time he pitted and returned, the running order had changed.

He explained that it became nearly impossible to regain track position under green-flag conditions. Despite the strong pace and a car capable of winning, the strategy didn’t work out. As he put it,

“So you know, just, team did a great job, you know next best in line there of our strategy, just didn't work out.”

Denny Hamlin’s race at Pocono took a turn after a caution disrupted the pit sequence. Chase Briscoe, who had pitted earlier, managed to leapfrog into the lead. Hamlin, who stopped a lap later, found himself behind and unable to make up ground in the closing laps.

According to kickinthetires, Briscoe made his final pit stop on Lap 119 of 160. Just after that, the caution came out. That moment flipped the race. Briscoe ended up out front and switched to fuel conservation mode.

Hamlin had to go the other way—pushing hard in clean air was no longer possible, and he was stuck behind traffic in dirty air. Despite his efforts, Hamlin couldn't chase down his teammate.

Hamlin still had a strong day—he won Stage 1 and finished runner-up, maintaining a run of strong form with three straight top-three finishes in 2025. He now has six top-two finishes in the last nine Pocono races.

The race, which started more than two hours late due to rain, ended with a 30-lap green-flag stretch. Ryan Blaney finished third, followed by Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott.

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Denny Hamlin returns to action after missing the Mexico City race for the birth of his son

Denny Hamlin missed the previous week’s Cup Series race in Mexico City as he and his fiancée, Jordan Fish, welcomed their third child—a son named Jameson Drew. It was a huge moment for Hamlin, but being away from the track wasn’t easy.

As reported by Getty, Hamlin described experiencing “bad FOMO” during practice sessions. He shared,

“Friday, I had bad FOMO. It was, right when practice was starting my heart started racing… I knew, my body knew, my head knew that I was missing it,”

The Mexico City race was the first NASCAR Cup Series event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez since 1958. It drew over 2.1 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video. Hamlin watched it from home as JGR’s Ryan Truex Jr. filled in, finishing 23rd.

Despite missing the race, Hamlin was granted a playoff waiver on medical grounds, keeping him eligible for the playoffs. Coming off a win at Michigan just before his absence, he remains in strong form heading into the Round of 16 opener at Darlington Raceway on August 31.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua