Chase Briscoe’s Crew Chief Questions Denny Hamlin’s Las Vegas Pit Call
James Small had just won at Las Vegas with Chase Briscoe when he brought up Denny Hamlin's pit stop. The crew chief said staying out could have kept Kyle Larson a lap down.
Chase Briscoe's crew chief, James Small, questioned Denny Hamlin's pit call during the Las Vegas race, even though Hamlin's team secured victory. Small, a teammate of Hamlin in Joe Gibbs Racing, made his concerns known during the post-race press conference. The pit stop for Hamlin, which occurred on Lap 45 after a caution, allowed Kyle Larson to gain ground on Briscoe.
Larson had initially fallen behind with a green-flag stop on Lap 1. Hamlin's crew chief, Chris Gayle, brought his driver in for two tires. Briscoe chose to stay out and took the lead. Hamlin's stop enabled Larson to become eligible for a wave-around move, which he utilized to retake the lead lap position. Small suggested that if the No. 11 vehicle had remained out, Larson "probably would have been trapped" a lap behind.
Both Small and Hamlin are part of Joe Gibbs Racing. Small brought up the pit call in his post-race remarks, praising Larson's and crew chief Cliff Daniels' performance. Small noted that Larson and Daniels "never stop fighting" and highlighted the team's consistency throughout their time together. One week prior, at Kansas, Briscoe led late before Larson passed him with seven laps remaining, ultimately winning that race.
Briscoe finished fourth in that event, while Larson took the victory and Briscoe claimed fourth place. Briscoe led 175 of 267 laps overall in Las Vegas and secured both stages of the race. This marked his second win of 2026 and his seventh career win in the Cup Series. MotorBiscuit provided a detailed account of the race. Small, originally from Melbourne, Australia, served as the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr. from 2020 to 2024, achieving eight wins together.
He has been working with Briscoe on the No. 19 team since 2025. Hamlin spun late in Stage 1 during an attempt to regain positions, finishing 16th. He currently trails Larson by 40 points, up from 26 before the Las Vegas race. Briscoe's victory moved him up to sixth place, 84 points behind Larson. The NASCAR Cup Series will next head to Charlotte on Sunday, October 11, with five races remaining in the series' 10-race Chase.
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