Utter chaos. That’s exactly what it seems to have come down to, going by how the race at Watkins Glen International ended recently. NASCAR has always been a sport where the finest of margins can make all the difference in getting a race result but is cutthroat competition reason enough to adopt a ‘win at all costs mindset’? Martin Truex Jr. was at the receiving end of the stick at the 2.45-mile road course, prompting the veteran racer to express his frustrations after the race.

Backing his views is teammate Denny Hamlin, who believes modern NASCAR drivers will take any advantage they can get, even if it comes at the cost of others on the racetrack. Citing a lack of respect and accountability as reasons for chaotic race finishes, Hamlin believes self-policing is the only way to tackle the growing problem.

Denny Hamlin criticizes driving standards

Entering the race at Watkins Glen 18 points behind the playoff cutline, Martin Truex Jr knew there was little margin for error after a disappointing result at Atlanta. He couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the weekend, finishing second in qualifying and winning the opening stage of the race. However, things took a turn for the worse, with just three laps to go when Todd Gilliland tried to overtake Kyle Larson at the restart, which stacked the grid and forced Truex Jr into the wall. The veteran went from being inside the top ten, one point above the cut-line to being forced to finish 20th, severely denting his championship hopes.

Unsurprisingly, the 44-year-old racing driver expressed his frustration after the race, thoughts that were echoed by Denny Hamlin in the Actions Detrimental podcast.

Speaking to co-host Jared Allen, the No. 11 Toyota driver said, “It’s different now than what it used to be. There’s certainly not a whole lot of respect among the drivers, especially in these green-light-checkered situations. We see it over and over, year after year and it just keeps getting a little worse each year. There’s just no regard anymore. If there’s a quarter of a car width wide, someone is going to jam it in there in Turn 1. If you spin, that’s not their problem.”

Unlike other motorsport disciplines like Formula 1, IndyCar, and IMSA, NASCAR has always taken pride in being somewhat of a contact sport. However, should its rugged nature come at the expense of fair racing? Can NASCAR do more to ensure cleaner races determine the outcome of a crucial playoff fixture? Highlighting the ongoing issues in the Cup Series, Hamlin went on to say, “There’s just not enough accountability I guess, for that. If you think that someone caused a wreck, you need to self-police this thing and make sure they know this was for that incident.”

Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr’s frustrations are understandable. Both the racing veterans endured multiple wrecks at Watkins Glen International, jeopardizing their hopes of reaching the Round of 12. With the race at Bristol Motor Speedway on the horizon, Truex Jr is currently 14 points below the cut line and will need a top-five finish in the final Round of 16 playoff race if he hopes to keep his championship dreams alive. Having built a reputation of being one of the cleanest drivers on the grid, Truex Jr’s retirement from full-time racing could signal the end of an era for drivers who raced with ‘respect’ for their rivals.

Hamlin praises his pit crew despite disappointing Watkins Glen outcome

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Denny Hamlin’s championship hopes went from bad to worse at Watkins Glen International. After finishing a disappointing 24th place at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran knew that he would need to get his act together at ‘The Glen’ to stand a chance of progressing into the Round of 12. However, the race couldn’t have begun on a worse note for the 43-year-old, as Kyle Busch slammed into Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota in the opening lap. If that wasn’t all, the Florida native endured another wreck on Lap 46 when his car hit the outside wall after battling with Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski for grid positions.

Despite the incidents, Denny Hamlin and his trusty Camry soldiered on, finishing the race in 23rd place thanks to the effort of his pit crew. It might not have been the result he wanted, but Hamlin expressed his gratitude towards his team by saying, “Very, very fortunate that the entire FedEx pit crew team, mechanics, road team kept that thing going. They just did an amazing, amazing job of getting that car rolling in a straight direction.”

Hamlin will hope for better luck at Bristol Motor Speedway, a track that he has enjoyed immense success in the past. Consecutive wins in his last two appearances at the 0.533-mile oval will give him a reason to be confident going into the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Night Race, where he will need to secure an excellent result to progress into the Round of 12. As things stand, Hamlin is just six points below the cut line and has little margin for error going into the race.