Denny Hamlin Snubs NASCAR’s Aerodynamic Issue as He Points at the Real Problem

The NASCAR Next-Gen car safety problems have been an ongoing focus of criticism from drivers and teams directed at the governing body. Even though NASCAR has begun implementing significant safety upgrades to the quickest countrywide series car, there is still a long way to go.

Problems with grip and tires on the Next Gen cars have forced some drivers to miss races or retire early, notably Kurt Busch. And the problem was yet again addressed by none other than Denny Hamlin. On the most recent episode of Actions Detrimental, when Jared Allen was trying to argue for one of the new improvements NASCAR is implementing—like a new splitter configuration—to improve safety, Denny Hamlin talked about some pressing matters that must be addressed first.

Aerodynamic Splitter or Tire Modifications? To What Extent Does Each of These Options Improve Safety?

NASCAR recently revealed that they would be testing a ‘lift splitter‘ (splitter configuration) in order to enhance short-track races by creating lift in clear air and downforce while in traffic, so cars could follow each other easily. Jared Allen brought up the point on the podcast with Denny Hamlin, but Hamlin did not appear to agree with the explanation.

He believes the splitter won’t affect things much. Hamlin’s explanation? He blames the absence of tire fall on short tracks. And he focused almost entirely on the rubber used in tires. Even though NASCAR has been all about implementing additional safety measures, Hamlin continues to stress the need for high-quality tires.

Hamlin said, “You gotta have downforce to wear out of the tire or you have to make the tire much, much softer. The level of downforce these cars have is the lowest since it has been in the 90s. And when they put the splitter on it, it’s going to be lower than that.” Furthermore, he said, one cannot reduce downforce without compensating for it with the tire.

Hamlin concurred with Jared’s reiteration that splitters won’t necessarily alleviate the issue since they’ll raise the front runners off the ground, but they won’t cause the tires to wear out any faster. Along with a resounding “Yes!” he said, “So the tires will wear less. If you add it to an open track, which you will be until you reach its traffic, you’ll have a grip, but not because the tires are wearing but because the cars are off the ground. You’ll have less overall grip from lap 1 on, so you take off the aerodynamic grip, and you need to add mechanical grip.”

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This is not the first time Denny Hamlin has brought up tire concerns. When Goodyear chief Greg Stucker attributed a spate of accidents at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022 to things like high speeds, minor tire separations, and other causes, veteran Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin became enraged.

And because Hamlin didn’t buy the Goodyear CEO’s excuses, he sarcastically shared a post on Twitter: “If you’re thinking that maybe NASCAR will look into someone else for tires, keep dreaming. GY pays them a fat check, so they are allowed to gouge the teams each week.”

Hamlin has, undoubtedly, consistently dealt with the meat and potatoes of the new vehicles’ problems for drivers. Still, it seems that NASCAR keeps on coming up with new ways to incorporate new features as a remedy for the difficulties rather than taking harsh steps against chronic faults.

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