On September 12, during Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin‘s No. 11’s right-front wheel dislodged from the vehicle. As a result, his Toyota Camry crashed into AJ Allmendinger on lap 384 for the 13th caution of the race. At the time, Hamlin was given a 2-lap penalty in the Round of 16 race of the NASCAR Cup Series. Due to the safety violation, NASCAR later announced a 2-race suspension for Joe Gibbs Racing’s two crew members, forcing them to make a change during the crucial playoff races.

But JGR has bounced back quickly. After deferring the suspension for front tire changer Austin Maloney and jackman Joel-Alexandre Bouagnon until after the New Hampshire Round of 12 race, JGR announced their substitutes. Thomas Hatcher, who typically serves as the front tire changer for the No. 43 car, and Nate McBride, the jackman for the No. 4 Front Row Motorsports car driven by Noah Gragson, have been temporarily reassigned to Hamlin’s team, who led in points when the penalty was dulled out.

Thomas Hatcher brings a wealth of experience to the No. 11 team. The usual front tire changer for Martin Truex Jr.‘s No. 19 car, Hatcher’s expertise is well-established. His tenure with JGR includes a notable stint in 2022 when he was part of a crew swap between the No. 18 and No. 11 teams during the playoffs. He started as a mechanic at Roush Yates in 2004, before eventually becoming a tire changer at Roush Fenway Racing in 2007. He then worked for Team Penske from 2012 before moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2021. These prior collaborations with Hamlin highlight Hatcher’s adaptability and familiarity with the specific demands of the No. 11 car.

Nate McBride, a former linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs, has leveraged his athletic background to excel as a jackman in NASCAR. His first significant assignment with Hamlin occurred in 2022 when he filled in for a suspended crew member during the Coca-Cola 600, where the No. 11 driver won. Time and again, McBride has shown his capability to perform under pressure and contribute to the team’s achievements.

In the aftermath of the race, Hamlin downplayed the roster changes on his Actions Detrimental podcast. He stated, “I have no idea who’s sitting on the bench or who’s ready, and it’s not even my concern… because that’s the crew chief. He handles the people. My concern needs to be on the things that I can control.”

Before the crash, Hamlin began with promise from the sixth starting position. He even had a best lap of 15.19 seconds at 126.31 mph to progress into the top ten during the first two stages—finishing Stage 1 in eleventh and Stage 2 in tenth. His fate changed late into the race and he ended up 5 laps down in 31st position. But the quick decision-making, though, was not something new for the JGR garage.

During a suspension in 2022, Adam Riley, a former wide receiver at Wingate University and member of the No. 4 crew, became a substitute rear tire changer for Bubba Wallace‘s team. Strategic moves like these underscore the depth of talent within JGR’s extended pit crew network and its ability to maintain performance standards even in the absence of regular crew members.

The No. 4 pit crew at FRM is renowned within the NASCAR community for its proficiency and reliability. Often regarded as JGR’s premier non-house pit crew, it served as a critical resource for backup assignments across various teams. But what about the suspended crew members?

Denny Hamlin uses NASCAR’s new deferment rule to keep his crew for the playoffs

In response to NASCAR’s revised 2025 rules, Hamlin made a strategic decision to defer the suspensions of his key crew members. Now, instead of fulfilling their suspensions for the Mobil 1 301 New Hampshire and Kansas, Maloney and Bouagnon will be absent for Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Roval. “It’s obvious the timing mattered. Losing them at this moment would hit us harder than at a later race,” Hamlin explained, highlighting the importance of continuity and experience during critical playoff events. NASCAR’s new deferment rule allows teams to manage non-behavioral suspensions more efficiently, particularly when penalties occur mid-week.

During a recent episode of the Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR managing director of racing communications Mike Forde confirmed that the suspensions will be deferred for one week and introduced at Kansas. He added, “The suspension can be deferred without an appeal request for the next event following the issuance of the penalty. So if the 11 team would like for their two crew members to be part of the New Hampshire race, they can request a deferral. The appeals administrator would be the one who does grant that or not grant that. There is pretty much 100% success rate (of granting the deferral).”

By deferring the suspension, JGR ensured its experienced crew would be available for the new round of the playoffs. With Hamlin being a favorite for a few races ahead, track position, pit strategy, and executing on pit road will make or break No. 11’s case. critical playoff races at Kansas and Charlotte, while serving the penalties at less consequential events later in the season. Hamlin emphasized the challenge of certain tracks, noting, “Especially on the ROVAL, the pit crew’s execution can make or break your track position. We needed them at full strength.” This move underscores the value of strategic planning and timing in maintaining a competitive edge during the high-stakes NASCAR playoffs.