Following an unpredictable Coca-Cola 600, Denny Hamlin analyzed Next Gen car challenges at Coca-Cola 600 during his recent podcast appearance, focusing on how this new technology can flip a potential win into defeat. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran’s insights offer a rare look into the technical factors that tested top drivers at Charlotte, explaining why leading the race can actually be a disadvantage.
Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted one of NASCAR’s most dramatic nights this season, as Ross Chastain made history by claiming victory, while William Byron led most of the marathon event but left frustrated. Denny Hamlin, piloting the No. 11 JGR toyota/”>Toyota, also showed impressive pace, spending 53 laps at the front—second only to Byron’s 283—only to see his hopes dashed by a crucial pit stop mishap in the race’s final stages.
Costly Pit Blunder and Unexpected Technical Challenges
As the Coca-Cola 600 entered its closing laps, Hamlin found himself in second place during the last cycle of green flag pit stops, set to challenge for the win. However, a mishap occurred when a crew member struggled to properly attach the fuel can, spilling fuel and forcing Hamlin to remain on track longer than planned. This critical delay forced Hamlin to pit with only a dozen laps remaining, dropping him from contention as Chastain surged to secure the win—a moment that left not only fans but Hamlin himself deeply frustrated.
The event’s chaotic finish sparked questions from NASCAR viewers, eager to understand what derailed Hamlin after seizing the lead from Byron. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, co-host Jared Allen directly addressed the confusion with Hamlin, prompting the veteran to share a layered breakdown of the Next Gen car’s limitations.
Hamlin Details the Next Gen Car’s ‘Loose’ Dilemma in Clean Air
Analyzing the second half of the 400-lap contest, Hamlin revealed how the unique handling characteristics of the Next Gen car created a new set of challenges for drivers who managed to reach the front. He explained:
“The Next-Gen car goes through most of the transition, with it is that it gets looser as you burn fuel and the back of the car starts to come up. The car just generally gets looser, you don’t load it as much, you can’t drive in the corners deep. So, you lose a lot of rear downforce as runs go on.”
—Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
The discussion, intensified by both the negative outcome and technical frustrations, continued with Hamlin expanding on how being ahead in clean air sometimes produces an unexpected disadvantage:
“What can make that even worse is that, if you get in clean air and have you nobody in front of you, you’re not pushing the front tires to their capability, you can’t drive in deep enough to push the front tires to their capability and then bias your wear to the front so then next thing you know, you get loose and you get a lot loose,”
—Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
These issues stood in stark contrast to the perceived benefit of leading on a clear track, and Hamlin’s experience mirrored a recurring problem among Next Gen drivers throughout the season. The balance of the car shifted as soon as Hamlin took the lead from William Byron, leading to further struggles behind the wheel:
“I felt like when he worked him over and finally got the lead, the balance instantly shifted quite a bit, and the next thing you know, I was loose. I was fighting the same thing that he was fighting,”
—Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing driver
Next Gen Flaws Place Race Leaders at a Real Disadvantage
For Hamlin and others contending at the front, the Coca-Cola 600 exposed significant technical flaws in the Next Gen chassis, particularly its tendency to get loose and unpredictable as the fuel load lightens. While chasing William Byron’s No. 24 HMS Chevy and sharing the front row with dominant drivers, Hamlin’s experience underlined a troubling irony—leading the race can put a driver at a technical disadvantage rather than provide a competitive edge.
Viewers and analysts now look to see how teams, drivers, and NASCAR itself respond to these recurring Next Gen car dilemmas. As the season continues, the challenge for teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports will be to find solutions that help their drivers maintain control and performance, especially in crucial late-race moments where a single pit stop—or a shift in handling—can mean the difference between victory and disappointment.
