NASCAR, once among America’s most popular sports, is now facing a diminished audience, prompting industry figures like Denny Hamlin to analyze what is behind the ongoing struggles. The decline is reflected in viewership statistics, bringing “Denny Hamlin NASCAR struggles” into sharper focus as fans, teams, and drivers look for answers moving into the 2025 season.
Viewership Drop and Widespread Discontent Among Fans
The latest metrics from the 2025 Cup Series are difficult to ignore, with races drawing an average of 2.52 million viewers—a significant decrease of nearly 13% from the previous year’s levels of 2.916 million. The trend was even more evident during playoff events like the Kansas race, where only 1.49 million tuned in, down considerably from 1.79 million in 2024. Although television numbers tell a story of diminishing interest, insiders like Denny Hamlin emphasize that these symptoms point to deeper issues that go beyond simple ratings or single events.
The recent Charlotte Roval playoff showdown encapsulated many of the sport’s current woes. During the chaotic final moments, Ross Chastain spun into Denny Hamlin, and with the playoff stakes on the line, a wave of confusion engulfed the event. As officials raced to determine which drivers advanced, the spectacle became headline news, but many fans described the finish as bewildering, mirroring broad dissatisfaction with NASCAR’s evolving structure and presentation. A growing chorus suggests that the sport is sacrificing the integrity of its racing for fleeting moments of sensational drama, leaving both newcomers and long-time followers unsettled.
Hamlin Dissects Racing Format Woes and Road Course Fatigue
On his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Denny Hamlin shed light on the complex problem of balancing excitement and coherence in NASCAR, prompted by an inquiry from co-host Jared Allen. Hamlin engaged directly with the findings from NASCAR’s official Fan Council, a forum that gauges the opinions of dedicated supporters. He explained the disconnect between fans’ actual preferences and the narratives driving current programming.
Well, there’s been a million surveys, but the fans have absolutely spoken in their fan council survey that NASCAR sends out that they don’t care about points as much as they care about who wins a particular race. They’ve made that abundantly clear. So it’s the whole argument that some of the shills are making is that, ‘oh, well, you don’t want someone clenching early.’ People will tune out. That is absolutely not true. People are going to tune in to watch Chase and Larson and the popular drivers.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
NASCAR’s Fan Council feedback underscores a strong desire among viewers to see races determined by standout winners, not just point standings or playoff math. Public forums and polls, routinely used for shaping the sport’s schedule, continue to show strong skepticism toward the current playoff format, which can result in the championship being decided by a single winner at the finale, regardless of performance throughout the year. Many supporters and insiders feel that this approach erodes competitiveness and undermines season-long narratives.
Jared Allen, Hamlin’s co-host, raised another dimension to the discussion by drawing parallels with other major sports:
I don’t even think it’s all about just the on-track product. Like, to credit Brad Keselowski’s tweet about needing more star power, right? Like, a lot of these football fans are tuning into their games not because their team’s any good, just because they’re a fan of that team, and on Sunday they watch that team. So you create more star power. On Sunday, Denny Hamlin’s driving, I’m watching Denny Hamlin, even though he’s probably not going to win this particular race, game, right? You’re just tuning in for that.
—Jared Allen, Podcast Co-host
Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Shane van Gisbergen, and legendary names like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon are still capable of drawing attention, showing how the power of star competitors remains central to fans’ loyalty and viewing habits. Brad Keselowski further intensified this national conversation, pressing for greater focus on the weekly winner narrative and voicing concerns about media practices:
Clear as day, not enough talk about winning and winners (star power) but covering 15th for known elimination is easier for media storylines. Fans are voting with their eyeballs and it’s definitively a net loss for the sport vs full season format. Now is the time to fix this,
—Brad Keselowski, NASCAR Driver
Many experts note that leagues successfully sustain engagement by marketing stars and rivalries, forging a consistent viewing habit that NASCAR’s rotating playoff system seems to frustrate. Business cases from legacy teams and widely recognized players show that loyal viewers need compelling personalities and ongoing stories, not simply the statistical drama of elimination weeks.
Road Course Races and the Broadcast Dilemma
Denny Hamlin highlighted concrete broadcast challenges, noting how timing and television workflow affect both the drama and the ability for new viewers to engage fully in the action:
Well, I think that the race was three hours and some change, and your moment came in hour 2:59.59. I mean, at the buzzer, right? And so you’re asking a lot for people to wait and sit through that for maybe possibly that one last corner moment, and that’s tough… I watched the end of the race, obviously, because of the last quarter highlight, and it was SVG wins.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
At the 2025 Charlotte Roval event, Shane van Gisbergen’s dominant win—finishing over fifteen seconds ahead of Kyle Larson—demonstrated how a clear victor can paradoxically diminish live tension for millions at home. The convoluted nature of road courses, especially with the introduction of the shorter COTA National layout, spreads cars across large gaps, which makes for long stretches without the close-quarter action that highlights social media feeds and excites casual fans.
Hamlin’s experience watching the race on television also brought to light how real-time coverage can splinter, confusing both participants and viewers:
When I watched it on TV, it said final lap. And I’m walking, I’m looking at my car in Chastain’s. I’m like, ‘it’s not the final lap.’ And then I look at the other box and it’s like, ‘oh yeah, SVG is on the final lap. We are not.’ And because we were so far apart, I think it was 90 some seconds that we were all behind,
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
This kind of segmentation is unique to road courses, where widely spread cars disrupt the narrative flow for drivers, crews, and fans alike. The same structural hurdles make it difficult to create quick, exciting clips—the lifeblood of “highlight leagues” such as the NBA—that fuel digital engagement. Hamlin explained:
Even where NBA claims, even acknowledges that they’re mostly a highlight league, most of the views, clicks, things like that come on exciting plays. For us, that’s going to be restarts three-wides. That’s going to be battles for the lead. Those are our highlight clips. You’re just not going to get much of that on a road course,
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
For teams like Chris Gayle’s and drivers such as Joey Logano, this has meant adapting to a format where the most thrilling moments occur sporadically, often missing the immersive window needed to draw in continuous new fans. Meanwhile, the debate continues on whether the existing approach benefits or hinders NASCAR’s standing compared to other prominent leagues and brands.
Controversial Finish at Charlotte Roval and Its Ripple Effects
The significance of Denny Hamlin’s actions at the Charlotte Roval has deeply impacted both the playoff chase and conversations around racing ethics. In a dramatic closing sequence, Hamlin’s entanglement with Ross Chastain sent both cars into spins, effectively clearing a path for Joey Logano to qualify at Chastain’s expense—with mere fractions of a second making all the difference. Logano, no stranger to playoff drama, capitalized fully on the opportunity, having previously endured heartbreak due to an inspection issue involving Alex Bowman in 2024.
Hamlin later reflected on how the critical moment unfolded, stating:
If I had known he was going to make a desperate move here, then I would have attacked those last two corners differently. It did cost us five spots. I’m not happy about that.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
The incident highlighted just how fine the margins are in playoff racing, as Logano managed to cross the line three-tenths of a second ahead of Chastain, securing the last playoff berth at tremendous cost to those involved. In assessing the strategies that guide every move, Hamlin remarked:
I told Chris Gayle before the race, like whatever our strategy is, just make sure we get the best finish we can.
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver and Podcast Host
For fans and analysts, the controversial outcome at Charlotte brings renewed focus on the format’s unpredictability and the difficulty in delivering truly satisfying narratives. It has left teams and league officials evaluating if this drama, fueled by razor-thin playoff margins and marathon broadcasts, is more alienating than engaging to a passionate but shrinking fanbase.
What’s Next for NASCAR as It Faces Critical Questions?
As NASCAR prepares for another pivotal year, voices like Denny Hamlin’s offer invaluable perspective on the intersection of competition, star power, and audience loyalty. The Denny Hamlin NASCAR struggles—encompassing broadcast delays, confusing finishes, and shifting playoff priorities—reflect the fundamental pressures challenging teams, drivers, and the league itself. Las Vegas, Kansas, the Roval, and iconic speedways have all witnessed high drama, but unless these systemic challenges are addressed, the sport risks further erosion of its foundational audience. For now, the racing world will watch to see if NASCAR can rediscover what once made its drivers household names and its Sunday showcases must-see TV.
