Denny Hamlin had strong words after a race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He pointed fingers at the car, the tires, and something bigger. Goodyear was also called out. One key issue may be holding back the action on track. Even Richard Petty spoke up. Changes might be needed, but not everyone agrees. Some believe bold steps could fix it. Others say it’s not so simple. What happened during the fall race has people asking tough questions.
Key Highlights
- Denny Hamlin criticized NASCAR’s Next Gen car for reducing competitive variability and excitement at Bristol.
- Hamlin highlighted the need for increased horsepower and downforce adjustments to improve racing dynamics.
- He expressed frustration with Goodyear tires’ conservative design limiting overtaking and race excitement.
- The fall Bristol race was labeled a “boring parade” due to Kyle Larson’s dominating performance and lack of lead changes.
- Hamlin’s criticism reflects broader concerns over NASCAR’s struggle to balance innovation with traditional racing excitement.
Bristol’s Race Shows NASCAR’s Flaws
Bristol Motor Speedway, often heralded as a crucible for pure racing skill, inadvertently became an exposé of NASCAR’s systemic issues, particularly with the implementation of its Next Gen car.
As the race unfolded, it became evident that the promise of thrilling competition was overshadowed by a profound flaw: the homogenization of performance. The field, tightly packed with lap times indistinguishably close, left drivers like Ryan Blaney, despite matching the leader’s pace, ensnared in an unyielding procession.
This scenario emphasized a critical concern—the Next Gen car’s design might have inadvertently stymied the sport’s hallmark unpredictability and tactical nuance.
The FOX sticker, sporadically displaying lap times, highlighted a glaring reality: the grid was a monotony of parity, where overtaking opportunities vanished, and the essence of racing excitement dissipated.
Bristol revealed a sport at a crossroads, grappling with innovation that inadvertently stifled its competitive spirit.
Denny Hamlin and Richard Petty Speak Out About the Car
Denny Hamlin and Richard Petty, two towering figures in the NASCAR domain, have emerged as vocal critics of the current state of the sport, particularly targeting the Next Gen car‘s design as a culprit in the erosion of racing excitement.
Hamlin, through his podcast “Actions Detrimental,” lamented the lack of proactive measures from NASCAR to address the car’s deficiencies, emphasizing the disconnect between ownership’s vision of a sports car and the on-track reality. The car’s design, characterized by underbody downforce, inadvertently nullifies tactical maneuvers, transforming races into predictable processions.
“I don’t know what we expect. This is the car we built. This is what ownership of NASCAR wanted. They wanted to build a sports car, and we’re gonna race this sports car on all these different tracks, and it just doesn’t race well… I think that there are fixes that we can do to it, but I’m not in charge… I’m part of the NASCAR meetings. There’s nothing on the horizon. There’s been no discussion to, you know, fixing things that really need to be addressed on it. One in particular is just the platform on which we run it on, where the back is squashed down to the ground, the front’s a foot in the air.” – Denny Hamlin
Petty, a seven-time champion, further criticized the reduction in horsepower which diminishes the sport’s thrill, advocating for a return to high-speed, high-stakes racing. His reflections echo an era where driver expertise and bold tactics were paramount.
“The way to make it more exciting is give them more horsepower. Let them run faster. The faster they go, the harder the driver must remain on his toes.” – Richard Petty
Denny Hamlin’s Solution and NASCAR’s Resistance
Hamlin’s proposed solution to the Next Gen car dilemma—a shift to over-body downforce, elevating the car’s rear, and increasing horsepower to levels as high as 750 or even 900—presents a radical yet calculated approach to reignite the fervor of NASCAR racing.
Hamlin argues for this transformation by stressing that engine costs remain constant, suggesting that bureaucratic inertia stifles progress.
“The engine bills are the same. The issue seems to be red tape, obviously. We’ve heard that NASCAR says, ‘Well, another manufacturer, they’re close, they’re close’, you know, until that happens, I just think why not give the people what they want?” – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR’s response, embodied by President Steve O’Donnell, leans heavily on concerns about financial escalation and potential alienation of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), pushing back against Hamlin’s vision. O’Donnell’s remarks imply a cautious stance, prioritizing economic stability over Hamlin’s bold changes.
“Well, it’s interesting that he would bring it up because if we want costs to go way up, OK, we could do that tomorrow,. If you want the OEMs to question why they’re in the sport, and you want to go racing potentially without OEMs and your costs to potentially go way up, we can pull that trigger tomorrow.” – Steve O’Donnell
Meanwhile, skepticism from industry insiders like Brian Murphy, who downplays the impact of increased horsepower, highlights the complexity of the debate.
“I’m beyond ecstatic for if/when we add 250HP to this platform and everyone is still disappointed….” – Brian Murphy
The differing perspectives reveal an entrenched dichotomy within NASCAR, showcasing the tension between innovation and tradition, as stakeholders deliberate the path forward for the sport.
Frustrations Over Goodyear and Tires
Amidst the cacophony of post-race analysis, attention pivots to the heated critique of Goodyear’s tire performance, a persistent issue that continues to stir frustration among drivers and teams. Denny Hamlin’s outspoken criticism highlights a central concern—Goodyear’s reluctance to innovate tire compounds for varying track conditions, particularly when temperatures exceed 70 degrees.
“I don’t see Goodyear having enough nerve to soften the tire. I think if it’s over 70 degrees, absolutely. You could come with something more aggressive. And some, that’s faster than slower. Then maybe you get some comers and goers. It’s just the tough, tough balance to have right now.” – Denny Hamlin
Hamlin’s assertion that a more aggressive tire could introduce variability into races, creating opportunities for tactical maneuvers, emphasizes the delicate equilibrium between speed and durability that remains elusive.
Comparing Spring vs Fall Bristol Races
The discourse surrounding Goodyear’s tire performance naturally extends to a comparison of the Bristol races across different seasons, a topic that encapsulates the essence of racing dynamics.
The spring race at Bristol in 2024 was a spectacle of unpredictability, where the rapid tire degradation demanded tactical skill and resulted in 54 lead changes, culminating in Denny Hamlin’s thrilling victory over Martin Truex Jr.
This stands in clear contrast to the fall race, dominated by Kyle Larson who led 462 of 500 laps, an event that many fans criticized for its lack of competitive depth, attributing the monotony to Goodyear’s tire design which ostensibly nullified the potential for overtaking.
Denny Hamlin’s observations highlight the unintended consequences of enforced parity, emphasizing how uniformity in car and driver performance has inadvertently stifled competition.
“You’ve made the drivers the same, you’ve made the cars the same, and now everyone runs the same speed. But now what? These are the unintended consequences you have with parity. No one is going to be able to pass.” – Denny Hamlin
News in Brief: Denny Hamlin NASCAR Criticism
The Bristol race distinctly illuminated the ongoing deficiencies within NASCAR, emphasized by Denny Hamlin and Richard Petty’s vocal critiques of car dynamics and tire performance. Hamlin’s proposed solutions highlight the sport’s resistance to innovation, revealing a reluctance to address fundamental issues that have rendered races monotonously predictable. The pronounced contrast between spring and fall races further emphasizes the urgent need for reform. As racing enthusiasts demand more thrilling spectacles, NASCAR’s commitment to evolution remains questionable, testing the patience of its loyal fanbase.
ALSO READ: “I Want Our Fans to Be Entertained” — Denny Hamlin Calls for Urgent NASCAR Reform
