Denny Hamlin’s Crew Chief Breaks Down the Complex Radio System Behind NASCAR Races

NASCAR’s 23rd Cup Series weekend delivered a dramatic finish as Austin Dillon surged to victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400. The Richard Childress Racing driver clinched the win after a chaotic overtime restart, colliding with Joey Logano on the final corner in a move that left fans buzzing. Dillon also bumped into Denny Hamlin in the process, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver skillfully avoided disaster and secured a strong second-place finish.

A contentious radio exchange surfaced between Dillon and his spotter post-race celebration, who urged, “Wreck him (Logano).” This moment spotlighted the role of radio communication in NASCAR. This is just a badinage example. Communicating on the radio is an equally essential part of the race, so much so that it can make or break a win. Hamlin’s crew chief recently unpacked the complexities of a crew chief handling radio in a Joe Gibbs Racing feature.

Hamlin’s crew chief breaks down his radio setup

The intricacies of NASCAR’s radio communications came into focus recently when Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, peeled back the curtain on just how vital—and complex—this system is. In an Instagram reel shared by Joe Gibbs Racing, Gabehart walked fans through the five different radio channels he juggles during a race, each serving a distinct purpose in the team’s overall strategy.

“All these radios. So many different ways I have to communicate,” Gabehart said while summarizing the volume of information flowing during a race. He explained, “I need one radio to talk to the driver, and I need one to talk to the spotter. Only then I need a private radio to talk to the pit crew so I can give them direction. Then I need a radio to scan NASCAR so I can hear the direction they’re giving up. And then lastly, when I plug in onto the box, there will be another radio to have an open dialog over an intercom with engineers about strategy and race dynamics.”

This layered setup allows crew chiefs to maintain real-time control over their team’s operations while keeping a pulse on NASCAR’s directives. Managing these channels is no small feat, particularly in the high-pressure environment of a race, where split-second decisions can determine the difference between victory and disaster.

In a separate clip, JGR president Dave Alpern detailed NASCAR’s purse distribution model, describing it as a four-component system involving fixed payments, race performance bonuses, a year-end points fund, and a historical element based on three years of performance. For Hamlin and other team owners, these financial systems—combined with the sport’s reliance on sponsorship—create an environment that demands both strategic acumen and adaptability. This context makes the behind-the-scenes communication infrastructure, from radios to financial planning, all the more critical to a team’s success.

Denny Hamlin’s sponsorship struggles post-FedEx

As the co-owner of 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin has been vocal about the challenges of NASCAR’s business model. While managing his team’s future, he also faced a significant blow in his own racing career with the loss of FedEx as a long-term sponsor. Since 2005, FedEx had been a cornerstone of Hamlin’s career, backing him in his rookie year and supporting him through wins at marquee events like the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600. However, FedEx began scaling back its involvement in 2021, and reports earlier this year signaled the end of one of NASCAR’s longest-standing partnerships.

By the time the Cup Series finale rolled around in Phoenix, Hamlin confirmed the end of an era with a heartfelt “Thank you, FedEx” video posted just before the green flag. The move marked the culmination of FedEx’s gradual retreat from NASCAR sponsorship as part of broader cost-cutting measures. For Joe Gibbs Racing, the departure of FedEx mirrored the end of another long-standing partnership between the logistics giant and the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Meanwhile, Hamlin has navigated this loss by diversifying his car’s sponsorship portfolio with companies like Mavis Tires & Brakes, Yahoo, and Interstate Batteries stepping in as primary sponsors.

Despite these adjustments, the void left by FedEx looms large. Hamlin has also suggested that he might leave Joe Gibbs Racing with the desire to ride for 23XI Racing once before he retires. Earlier this year, on Kevin Harvick’s ‘Happy Hour,’ he said, “There’s a few hesitations I have. One is that I want to end my career with Joe Gibbs Racing because I want to be loyal to the person that gave me my start, but yes, there is a part of me that wants to drive for 23XI, absolutely. I think, without doubt, I’ll say that I’ll certainly be racing at 23XI in at least a race at some point in my career.”

With Denny Hamlin’s future remaining uncertain, do you think he will drive for 23XI Racing before calling it a day?