0:00 / 0:00

Denny Hamlin Leads JGR Charge at Gateway | Playoff Drama & Round of 16 at Bristol

Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX Sep 09, 2025 61 min

0:00

About this episode

The podcast dives deep into Denny Hamlin's leadership and calm approach during the playoffs, highlighting Toyota's strong performance and Joe Gibbs Racing's dominance. They discuss key playoff contenders, including Bubba Wallace's resilience and Ryan Blaney's clash with Kyle Larson. The hosts debate the impact of Saturday night races on TV ratings, Bristol's challenging track dynamics, and the significance of tire strategy. Rookie Connor Zillich's impressive Xfinity season and Austin Cindric's upcoming Supercars wildcard entry are also featured. The episode wraps with race predictions, insights on team dynamics, and a lighthearted social sips segment.

Topics: denny hamlin leadership toyota performance playoff drivers bubba wallace resilience ryan blaney vs kyle larson bristol race dynamics saturday night racing tv ratings connor zillich rookie season austin cindric supercars team dynamics and strategy

Cars: Chrysler Voyager Oldsmobile Intrigue

Kevin Harvick, Kaitlyn Vincie, and Mamba Smith break down all the action from the NASCAR weekend at Gateway, where Denny Hamlin dominated and Joe Gibbs Racing cars flexed their strength. The crew also reacts to tough outings for playoff contenders like Alex Bowman, Bubba Wallace, Shane van Gisbergen, and Josh Berry, who now face even more pressure heading into Bristol. Looking ahead, the group previews the Round of 16 cutoff race at Bristol, with Kevin offering his insight into why the short track is one of the toughest challenges of the postseason. Mamba delivers the best moments on social media in Social Sips, and the show wraps up with Last Call, where the crew grades Hamlin’s burnout and makes their Bristol predictions. LINK TO SUBMIT PICKS FOR BRISTOL: https://forms.gle/TPEvWM7jD6UHLcns8 0:00 - Intro 3:50 - Gateway Recap 32:13 - Bristol Preview 41:10 - Mamba’s Social Sips 49:31 - Last Call! 58:04 - Submit Picks For Bristol GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Terms: draftkings.com/sportsbook. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Sponsored by DK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technical Too Afraid to Ask

SsmIntrigue (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Car

Oldsmobile Intrigue

"... Ryan Blaney, but it didn't come out without some intrigue as well between him and Kyle Larson."

NNXST (CC BY 4.0)

Car

Chrysler Voyager

"...turing my real one. But while I was on the Virgin Voyager cruise, they gave me one during one of the party ..."

2 cars

2 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info

Suggest better explanations

Flag missing cars