Denny Hamlin Thinks Jim Pohlman Could Be the Spark That Ignites Kyle Busch and RCR

Denny Hamlin seems to back Richard Childress Racing’s call to bring in veteran crew chief Jim Pohlman. The only catch, Pohlman has yet to turn a wrench in the Cup Series’ Next Gen era. Still, like Kyle Busch and the RCR brass, Hamlin believes the move could be the shake-up Busch needs.

On the latest episode of his podcast, Hamlin said, Pohlman might have probably the best option they they could get. But Hamlin was elated to see some of these crew chiefs getting the call up to the cup series. Even the 23XI Racing got Charles Denike from the #19 truck last year and putting him on the #23 this year with no cup experience whatsoever.

After three seasons of Next Gen racing, Hamlin no longer sees much of an edge for anyone. But he values the fresh perspective. “Maybe it’s just a fresh set of eyes. I like that RCR is hiring out of the company versus promoting someone. More than likely, if someone was really really good within the shop, their cars will be running better…”

“Maybe he can come up with something to where why aren’t you guys looking at Y versus X? Hopefully it gets Kyle Bush the performance jump that he’s looking for,” Hamlin stated.

Pohlman’s previous work experinece shows his skills. He guided JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier to his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship last year at Phoenix and turned the No. 7 team into a title threat since taking over in 2023. Before that, he helmed RCR’s research and development program, playing a role in the creation of the very Cup car Busch has struggled to tame.

Busch, meanwhile, has long praised JR Motorsports’ strong equipment but admits Pohlman’s arrival took the team to another level. That’s why he’s optimistic that Pohlman’s return to RCR could breathe new life into not just the No. 8 team, but the entire organization.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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