“I just want to see us do something different, to put the sport back in it and take luck back out of these prestigious events”, Denny Hamlin had said right after the Daytona 500. The race at Daytona is one of the most prestigious races of all time and given its glory, it is rightfully called the ‘Great American Race’. Hamlin had quite a good chance of making it to the victory line this year. However, an unforgiving crash ensured that he was out of the winner’s contention. 

Not only Hamlin but other contemporary drivers have also pointed out how the quality of racing has gone down in Superspeedway tracks like Daytona. However, contrary to all opinions, it seems as though NASCAR is quite happy with the outcome. 

The Daytona 500 isn’t the OG race anymore

The three-time Daytona 500 champion had a strong shot at victory on Sunday. Hamlin was sitting second on the final lap when he became entangled in the massive wreck. This is the kind of event that often defines superspeedway racing, costing him the win. Hamlin was highly critical of the Daytona 500 and NASCAR’s current superspeedway racing. He even argued that luck now plays a bigger role than skill. The Joe Gibbs driver expressed his frustration over how unpredictable the races had become. He compared it to the post-season format, where circumstances beyond the driver’s control can decide championships.

While Hamlin isn’t very impressed with the run, it seems as though NASCAR has turned a deaf ear. According to the governing body, the race has been a major success and even an improvement from last season. Speaking of the same, NASCAR President Steve Phelps said, “Yeah, that was a great week for us. We started off Wednesday with our qualifying numbers, which were up double digits. The duels were up double digits. The CW, having their first race for a full season, went really well.” 

He further added, “On Sunday, obviously, there was a rain delay for roughly three hours, which is always difficult. There’s no worse place to be than at a racetrack when it rains. But despite that, numbers were up—up 13%. And there was an energy level all weekend that hasn’t been experienced in a while. And that’s saying a lot because it’s always a sellout, but this year, it just seemed to be at a different level.” 

Despite significant rain delays, the Daytona 500 remained a major draw for NASCAR fans. The views averaged around 6.76 million viewers on FOX. Before the race was red-flagged on lap 11, it was on pace to reach around 8.5 million viewers, according to Sports Business Journal (SBJ). Despite the three-hour delay, it became the most-watched NASCAR broadcast since the 2023 Daytona 500. 

While the numbers did quite paint a picture that viewership was high, that doesn’t justify the degradation in race quality that drivers have consistently spoken about. Denny Hamlin blamed NASCAR for design changes that promote pack racing. While it may look exciting on TV, he believes it leads to chaos on the track. He pointed out that the cars have too much grip and drag. 

This often makes it easier to drive but harder to pass, forcing drivers into aggressive, high-risk moves that often result in massive wrecks. Hamlin further added, “I hate that what is supposed to be our most prestigious race, is luck. And I don’t care how else you want to say it. It is luck.” 

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Kyle Busch resonates with Denny Hamlin’s feelings about NASCAR 

The Sunday, Daytona 500 was a major showdown for not only Denny Hamlin but even veteran driver Kyle Busch. A post-crash incident and verdict by NASCAR ensured that he was out of contention. The two-time Cup Series champion felt his No. 8 Richard Childress Chevrolet was still capable of finishing Sunday’s race. However, NASCAR’s procedural rulings ultimately prevented him from continuing.

Calling out NASCAR for its moves, Busch said, “We got beat by NASCAR procedures again.” Busch even took to his Twitter account and posted, “Parked by NASCAR officials. The rule says you have 3 attempts to make minimum speed. The race never went back green yet. I don’t even think they know their own rules or procedures.”

Busch’s frustration highlights ongoing concerns among drivers about NASCAR’s rule enforcement. The discontent is more visible, especially in high-stakes races like the Daytona 500. With both Busch and Hamlin voicing their discontent, the debate over procedural consistency in superspeedway racing is far from over.