Denny Hamlin Sends Out a ‘65-Degree’ Advice for NASCAR to Get Rid of Bristol’s Tire Fall-off Woes

There was a clear difference between experienced race car drivers and the young guns during last Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race was almost a calculation game for the drivers in trying to conserve the wear on the tires while also competing for the track position. And it was Denny Hamlin who nailed the balance between the two and bagged the win at the iconic short-track venue.

Most of the drivers weren’t even managing to get a 50-lap run on the tires, such was the nature of the racetrack. While it was an interesting affair for the fans to witness, drivers aren’t in favor of a repeat of the Bristol race. Even Goodyear themselves have been thinking about how the tires reacted to the racing surface, leading to questions on how the tire conditions would improve going forward.

Well, Denny Hamlin has the solution for NASCAR to curb the issue and deliver a better set of tires going into upcoming short-track races.

Denny Hamlin needs full green tires

There was no change in the tire compound for Sunday’s race as Goodyear decided to roll out the same set of tires that have been used since the fall of 2022. The only notable difference was the use of a chemical compound known as resin, covering the turns of the inside of the race tracks. Initially, it was thought that resins caused the tires to wear off, but Hamlin has a different theory.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the JGR driver explained, “My thesis now would be that these tires are not full green tires, they partial green, and they have oils in them. In my opinion, for a very long time, for all the concrete tracks, our number has always been 65 degrees. It has to be 65 degrees out, or else the track will not rubber.”

He added, “The truck race rubbered up exactly the same way it had in the past, there was no Xfinity Series there, we haven’t been there without Xfinity for a very long time because it’s the first time we’ve been back here in spring in four years. So I believe the mixture of all that meant for an unrubbering race track and instead it cheese grated the tires.”

The win at Bristol Motor Speedway brings the veteran driver back into contention for the championship this season. For all his efforts and missed chances in the past, it feels like 2024 could be the year. Where he overturns his misfortunes of 20 years by winning the championship.

Bristol win sets the stage for Hamlin to mount the title

Trending

How Late NASCAR Legend Was Forced to “Sell Everything” After Losing $10,000 to Mafia

Historic NASCAR Track Shutting Its Door After Final Run Has Racing Community Heartbroken

Tony Stewart’s Business Partner Sells Off Iconic ‘Mini Eldora’ Racetrack

HMS Legend’s Demise Has Emotional Jeff Gordon Echoing Rick Hendrick’s Humble Admission

“This Deserves Prison Time” – Bubba Wallace’s Spotter Becomes the Joke as Fans Tear Into Disastrous Beer Pouring Skills

For most NASCAR fans, Denny Hamlin has transitioned into the image of a villain, but in reality, he is the legend of the sport. In a 500-lap strategy-filled race on the short track of Bristol, Hamlin managed to put his experience and skills to good use and bagged his 52nd win in the Cup Series. The #11 from JGR was in prime position to win at Phoenix, but an unfortunate spin saw him finish 11th. An early win was all he needed to set the tone for the rest of the season, and the win at Bristol has just handed the boost Hamlin and his team were looking for.

Appreciating his performance on a trick Bristol surface, Hamlin said, “This is the first time the driver played a huge role in a long, long time. It’s a different philosophy from what we’re used to, which is everyone is just kind of on the gas all the time running the bottom, the shortest way around. Technique was a huge deal today.”

Hamlin is the one of the most successful drivers in the Cup Series to have never won the championship. At 43, there will be only a handful of opportunities for him to capitalize on. Given that the new short track package is putting the racing back into driver’s hands, Hamlin will be strengthening himself to add more wins to his name this season and test his luck in the playoffs.

Read More: From Denny Hamlin to Josh Berry, NASCAR Drivers With Short Track Roots Stood Up to Goodyear’s Bristol Challenge