Pit crew changes have proven disastrous for some drivers, throwing a wrench into their season with unexpected chaos. Take Jimmie Johnson. Back in 2010, faster stops for the final races created confusion and disrupted chemistry. Johnson himself admitted post-season that working with unfamiliar crew members added stress during critical moments, though he ultimately claimed the championship. The swap was widely criticized as destabilizing and risky, nearly derailing his playoff momentum.

Then there’s Brad Keselowski, who faced a pit road decline after 2021 crew changes. When he joined RFK Racing as co-owner-driver in 2022, a new pit crew from the Roush Fenway pipeline struggled with consistency. In 2022, Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford averaged some of the slowest four-tire pit stop times among full-time teams, costing him track position in races like the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500.

Despite midseason training, RFK’s over-the-wall unit couldn’t deliver under pressure, leading to a playoff miss, unlike his former Team Penske crew, known for top-five stop speeds., But Denny Hamlin is someone who broke away from this pattern, and that has received praise from all corners, especially Kevin Harvick.

Harvick applauds Denny for rebuilding

In the latest episode of the Happy Hour Podcast, Kevin Harvick dished out some high praise for Denny Hamlin’s pit crew turnaround, calling him a steady force amid the storm. Harvick shared, “That’s kind of what I was getting at earlier with his with his experience and everything that he has going that system that that he and Chris Gabehart had and his commitment to the time that it takes to do everything and really not changing much with any of the rules. There’s been some tire changes and things this year. I think he knows what he wants his cars to feel like they already had some pretty good baseline stuff that they’ve been able to build on and we talked about it early in the year they they’ve got to get going. They’ve got to get the performance going right off the bat to not have to start answering the questions and they’ve never.”

Kevin Harvick’s remarks emphasize the depth of experience and systematic approach Denny Hamlin brings to his racing operation, particularly after undergoing significant pit crew changes in early 2025. Following Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision to reshuffle several over-the-wall crew members between its No. 11 and No. 20 teams after the 2024 playoffs, a move aimed at improving consistency for Hamlin, many questioned whether this would disrupt his long-established rhythm with longtime crew chief Chris Gabehart. However, as Harvick highlights, Hamlin’s “commitment to the time that it takes” and his clear understanding of what he needs from the car allowed him to quickly reestablish chemistry with his restructured crew.

This stability was apparent from the season’s first quarter. Despite Goodyear introducing modified tire compounds for several races, including those at intermediate tracks like Las Vegas and Kansas, Hamlin’s baseline setups didn’t falter. Harvick references the early narrative of needing to “get going” in 2025, pointing to the preseason pressure Hamlin faced after failing to reach the Championship 4 in 2024, a fact Hamlin openly acknowledged on his Actions Detrimental podcast in March. Nonetheless, Hamlin’s No. 11 team hit the ground running, avoiding early slumps that often force teams into reactive mode. His win at Richmond in April silenced much of the skepticism, showing the pit crew transition hadn’t derailed his title bid.

Harvick continued, “They’ve never really wavered and I think that a lot of that is on Denny because of the fact that he can be the leader of the team by not having to be babysat. You know with the things that he needs to do how they need to do those things. His process already in place right of the time that he spends the day of the week and they’re not developing setups. They probably are now trying to make changes to the things that they did. But when you have that system and most of the guys on the team stay in place, you know they’ve done a good job of being able to make that a seamless transition.”

In Harvick’s view, Hamlin’s greatest strength lies in his ability to lead without requiring constant oversight, a trait that became especially crucial amid the pit crew changes. Harvick’s observation that Hamlin “doesn’t need to be babysat” reflects Denny’s methodical approach to preparation, from midweek simulation sessions at Joe Gibbs Racing’s headquarters in Huntersville to consistent communication with Chris Gabehart regarding long-run handling. By maintaining routine and sticking to established processes, spending Mondays reviewing data, Tuesdays in the simulator, and Fridays perfecting qualifying setups, Hamlin ensured continuity even when some of his familiar pit crew faces changed.

Harvick wrapped up, “And you know as you hear on the victory lap you know interview and Denny today and listening to him talk. I mean we don’t even talk about it anymore right is now they’re just winning races. Been there been to victory lane four times can’t result into a championship. That’s really the final question that that is going to come out of this season.”

Harvick’s final observation, that Hamlin’s success in 2025 has become so routine it’s no longer headline-worthy, captures the tone of the current season. After winning four races by late July, including back-to-back triumphs at Dover, Hamlin’s dominance has shifted conversations from “can they win?” to “can they finish the job?” The post-race interviews Harvick references, such as Hamlin’s victory lane chat at Dover, show a driver focused less on individual wins and more on the season’s endgame: securing his first Cup Series championship. This narrative is familiar to NASCAR observers.

Hamlin, a 54-time Cup Series winner, remains the most successful active driver without a title. Harvick’s pointed remark about victories needing to “result into a championship” underscores the looming question: will 2025 finally be the year Hamlin breaks through? The consistency he’s shown, combined with a pit crew that no longer draws scrutiny, makes this perhaps his clearest path yet.

Harvick defends Ty Gibbs

During his time as a NASCAR Cup driver, Kevin Harvick rarely stood up for an opposing driver, even if that opponent was justified in whatever situation arose. But now, as a retired driver and current NASCAR analyst, he is entitled to his opinion on pretty much any subject. As part of the discourse on this week’s Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, the Bakersfield, California native opined on the conflict between Ty Gibbs’ and Brad Keselowski’s teams in Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway.

Gibbs came into his pit stall by cutting through Keselowski’s, which was next door and while Keselowski was right behind Gibbs. This is an action permitted under NASCAR regulations. But as Gibbs went through Keselowski’s box, he made slight contact with the tire held by Telvin McClurkin, Keselowski’s tire carrier. After both Gibbs and Keselowski completed their pit stops and went back on-track, McClurkin and at least one other team member began a pushing episode with several members of Gibbs’ pit crew. The conflict was quickly stopped by NASCAR officials, who ultimately ruled Gibbs was without sin, so to speak.

“Ty didn’t do anything wrong and NASCAR said that as well. My advice to the guy carrying the tires is move your tires. You don’t want to get hit by the car, move your tires. That’s your responsibility, not the driver’s.” Harvick said

Harvick laid out what he would have done in the same situation as a driver, saying, “When I was the driver and I felt the tire carrier was swinging around too wide and was affecting the way I was getting into the wall, I’d brush him, for sure.” Harvick then reiterated what he would have told McClurkin if he had been in Gibbs’ position. “That one’s simple: the tire carrier just needs to get out of the freakin’ way,” he said. “He can be frustrated all he wants. I don’t know why he wants to go over and blame it on the team guys. It’s just a bad reaction from the tire carrier and in my opinion, 100 percent his problem to deal with. Get out of the way of the car,” Harvick added.