Denny Hamlin found himself in an unfortunate situation as an innocent bystander during the race. The Toyota team managed to secure their fourth victory of the 2024 season at Talladega, but this was overshadowed by a multi-car accident on the final lap. Unfortunately, four of their drivers were involved in the incident, with three of them causing their own downfall.
During the final stage of the race, the Toyota teams went through a rather embarrassing moment. After making a pit stop together, they formed a single file and began to pick up speed. led the pack, with , , , , and following closely in that order.
The incident occurred in Turn 3, where Jones lost control of his No:43 car. Wallace’s No:23 Camry made contact with Jones, causing him to hit the wall. Hamlin, who was right behind, couldn’t avoid the chaos and ended up getting involved in the incident. Fortunately, the other two JGR drivers managed to escape unscathed.
Replays of the incident indicate that three drivers played a significant role. Jones suddenly turning left and slowing down triggered the sequence of events. Wallace struggled to keep control of his car, and Nemechek’s aggressive pressure on the 23XI Racing car also contributed to the chaos. It’s difficult to assign blame to any of the drivers for the incident.
Hamlin, the driver of the No:11 Toyota, was truly an innocent bystander throughout the incident. He admitted to not being sure of exactly what happened, but suggested that a poorly executed push towards the front may have caused the accident. He sees the incident as somewhat poetic considering his overall strategy.
It was fortunate that a Toyota driver emerged victorious from the race, as the incident could have lasting consequences. The three TRD teams will need to have a discussion about what happened and find a solution before the race in Daytona, which marks the end of the regular season.
