“Just execution. That is the only thing that I can think of,” Hamlin said in a press conference after qualifying on pole when asked what could deny him victory.
“If it is going to be posted on speed, pit crew, all of those things. We are at the top of the list, certainly in the upper echelon that are going to be racing for the championship, but there is all the variables that we just don’t know about. Ill-timed cautions, you pit, green flag cycle and someone crashes coming onto pit road, and a yellow comes out.
“It changes the complete complexion of the race, so it is some of the things we can’t control and some the things we can.
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“It is all of the other stuff. It is not speed. It is not qualifying. It is not long run speed. We have all of those things. It is just other things involved in NASCAR racing that can take you out.”
Speaking after the race, Hamlin admitted that it was indeed execution that let him and JGR down.
“I wish we would have executed better to kind of see where we stacked up,” he told Frontstretch. You’ll have that . But overall, you gotta come out of days like today unscathed and obviously, the three of us have.”