Denny Hamlin Hints Honda’s Arrival as He Calls Out the France Family for Lowering NASCAR’s Standard

Phoenix pole-winner Denny Hamlin has ruffled feathers with his post-qualifying comments. But this time it was not to announce that “he beat your favorite driver,” it was rather to take a swipe at NASCAR leadership and challenge the direction of the sport. His target? One Jim France.

To gain some context, the NASCAR community has been vocal for a long time about their desire for more “horsepower” in the cars. In the previous season, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell addressed the horsepower debate, acknowledged the fans’ desires, and admitted, “To be able to see a new OEM or two with our car owners and bring some interest into the sport.” This comment hinted that NASCAR’s decision-making regarding horsepower could be influenced by their pursuit of a new manufacturer.

Denny Hamlin Signals a Sign of Things to Come in the Future

Speculation has been swirling around the potential entry of a fourth manufacturer since forever, with Honda being the potential candidate as it happens. This wouldn’t just be the addition of another competitor, however. It would mark the entry of the second non-American manufacturer in NASCAR’s premier series, potentially forever altering the landscape of the sport, just like Toyota once did, with Hamlin’s current organization acting as the operators of their well-oiled machines in 2008—Joe Gibbs Racing.

It was against this backdrop that the voice of reason, Denny Hamlin, spoke out on the recent narratives after his stellar qualifying run in the #11 JGR Toyota Camry XSE. When asked to comment on the reasons behind his belief that it’s “easy” to get more horsepower into the Next-Gen cars, Denny Hamlin took a jab at NASCAR leadership, sarcastically stating in a single sentence, “You will have to call Jim France on that. I do not know.”

He went on to elaborate further, hinting at the potential reasons behind the “lack of horsepower”, “There are obviously other reasons. They’re trying to get other manufacturers in here, they’re trying to do this, and that. It’s part of a bigger picture that I won’t understand, you won’t understand, no one really will understand.”

Hamlin’s words appear to be chosen with reflection, as these “other reasons” align perfectly with NASCAR’s well-documented desire to entice a new manufacturer, potentially Honda. “But we don’t need to sacrifice our actual product for trying to entice someone new. I think that if you put on great racing, people want to come. No matter what.“

This sentiment takes us back to Hamlin’s initial comment on Jim France and the considerable control possessed by the France family in NASCAR’s decision-making process, which has been a topic of discussion for more than 75 years.

Many Factors Plaguing Honda’s NASCAR Entry

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The question everyone is asking now is: Will Honda actually join the fray? On closer inspection, the Japanese company has dominated the IndyCar Series for decades, racking up an impressive 13 driver championships and 6 manufacturer titles. Their technological know-how and experience would surely make them a formidable competitor in all of American motorsports.

Read More: Amid Honda Rumours, NASCAR Could Welcome a New Engine Manufacturer Earlier Than Expected

However, many fans and experts worry about another “foreign” car invading a sport steeped in American tradition. Even industry insiders like Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck have been in a lot of discussions over the potential dilemma.

Moreover, a Toyota veteran’s comments raise a valid question mark with regard to how Honda might integrate into the existing team structure. NASCAR would likely need to add new charters, which could dilute revenue for existing teams like Joe Gibbs Racing. The introduction of the Next Gen car was a step towards standardization, with each manufacturer only supplying their own bodies and engines. With McLaren already on board as the official electronic component supplier, NASCAR seems poised to embrace a hybrid future as close as 2025.

The speculations run even further by Honda’s recent comments about seeking a series to implement a “wholesale change to the engine” to bring down costs, aligning with NASCAR’s recent efforts to explore hybrid alternatives for the combustible engines of the Next Gen car.