Denny Hamlin Exposes Root of Unconventional “Cutthroat” Culture, Rigging Kyle Busch’s Respect Debate

Despite the excitement of NASCAR fans flocking to Brooklyn for the Michigan race, their expectations were dashed as rain played havoc, leading to a frustrating delay. The FireKeepers Casino 400 saw a mere 74 laps completed out of the scheduled 200. The 74 laps raced can only be defined as chaos. Pure chaos. The rain persisted, forcing officials to postpone the race to Monday. Adding to the buzz, Michigan witnessed NASCAR’s next-gen cars in action. 

Following the Sunday event, JGR pilot Denny Hamlin took to his podcast “Actions Detrimental” in the recent episode titled “Emergency Podcast: Michigan,” discussing shifting attitudes in the field and rekindling past debates.

NASCAR Next-Gen Cars igniting the change in priorities and loss of respect

In the podcast, Hamlin discussed the intense racing at Michigan, where drivers were aggressive and fighting for every inch on the track. He emphasized the importance of track position and noted the increased competitiveness compared to previous Michigan races.

“The racing is more cutthroat today than any other Michigan race I’ve been in so far. I mean, everyone’s fighting for every inch, cutting each other off, holding each other tight, shoving each other up,” Hamlin revealed.

Hamlin also highlighted the challenges of the next-gen cars, explaining that passing is tough unless the field gets strung out. He mentioned that drivers get loose while attempting overtaking moves, and success depended on others being willing to let them go. “Passing is difficult unless you get strung out then you can make some moves if someone is willing to let you go if not we’ve seen a couple of guys get loose” he added.

The statement by Hamlin fuels the ongoing “respect” debate in the NASCAR paddock, which was initially raised by RCR driver Kyle Busch. Busch expressed his concerns before the Atlanta race, stating that drivers have “completely lost any sense of respect” for each other. Hamlin echoed this sentiment, affirming that respect is indeed lost, and the dynamics have changed in modern-day NASCAR.

Read more: “We’ve Gone Backwards” – Kyle Busch at a Loss for Words as NASCAR Unable to Keep Drivers Happy

It seems as if the challenging nature of the NASCAR next-gen car has influenced a shift in attitudes and on-track racing dynamics among the drivers. The focus on track position and racing has led the drivers and especially the newer generation pilots to prioritize these aspects over showing respect towards their fellow competitors on the tarmac.

Challenges in modern NASCAR, Kyle Busch’s “Respect” lamentation, and Michigan misfortune

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This entire situation started back in March when Busch gave candid statements, lamenting the disappearance of etiquette that once existed among drivers.“It’s just the problem where everybody takes advantage of everybody as much as they can, we’re all selfish, granted, but there was an etiquette that once did live here. I think Mark started it, Tony [Stewart] lived by it, I think Jeff [Gordon] lived by it, Bobby Labonte, Rusty [Wallace] for the most part, Dale Jarrett for sure, I mean, it did exist. That’s gone” Busch remarked.

Sunday’s event, a misfortune befell the longtime NASCAR driver, leading to his retirement due to a collision and prompting him to reiterate his respect speech. Michigan witnessed a heated battle between Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney for the 10th-place spot. Unfortunately, their intense competition resulted in a collision, resulting in significant damage to Busch’s #8 Chevrolet and subsequent retirement from the race. Having completed only 14 laps, Busch expressed frustration about the change in NASCAR racing dynamics, where drivers no longer yield positions, leading to more aggressive racing and less regard for fellow competitors.

“They all run hard, they all want a race to crash and you know I tried to make a move and in the old days guys that you are racing they’ll let you go and have that spot and work for it later but this day and age is completely different, so I got a guy who ran on my outside and took the air off.” 

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Sunday’s disappointment leads the NASCAR community to anticipate yet another Monday race thanks to the rain. Now, the question arises: what kind of impact will the changing attitudes and next-gen cars have on this beloved sport, cherished by fans around the world? Will these developments lead to a thrilling new era in NASCAR, or will traditional values and racing dynamics prevail?