“If the Race S**ks” – Chase Elliott Offers Bizarre Idea for All-Star Race While Concurring With “Guinea Pig” Denny Hamlin

The NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday has got everyone excited, especially with the return at North Wilkesboro Speedway. While it couldn’t get more nostalgic, it remains to be seen how the race fares out. With the track last paved in 1981, it required some minor changes to get it ready for the weekend race. However, Chase Elliott has an out-of-the-box idea in case things turn out boring during the race.

The historic track has seen racing continue this week, building up perfectly for the All-star race. However, with the surface undergoing wear and tear, the roles of tires become very important. Interestingly, both Elliott and Denny Hamlin speak on similar lines in this regard.

Chase Elliott proposes a creative idea to ensure an entertaining All-Star Race at NWS

Without a doubt, a lot of effort has gone into bringing back racing at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Had it not been for Dale Earnhardt Jr and Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith, things would have been different. Having said that, many fans look committed to witnessing the race on Sunday and all attempts would be to not disappoint them.

Fortunately, two heat races were completed in less than 90 minutes on Saturday despite wet weather conditions. Interestingly, this was the first time Cup Series cars used wet weather tires on a short oval. Luckily, all played out well, maintaining high spirits among the fans.

After the race, Chase Elliott spoke to Noah Lewis about the experience. Elliott said, “Yeah, I mean, the track’s not really wet, it’s just a little damp, probably more in the areas that it’s weeping than anything. The tire felt fine like it was going to fall off and stuff and almost had a better feel than a normal tire did, so that was interesting.”

While the first heat race of 60 laps saw the usage of wet weather tires, the same tires were used in the second heat race only when the rain returned. With the wet weather tires working fine, Elliott even had an interesting proposal for Sunday.

He added, “I mean yesterday in the practice was probably the most helpful but if the race s**ks in the first half [on Sunday], maybe we should put on the wet weather [tires] for the second half and see what happens. I mean it’s an All-Star race, so might be worth the try.”

Certainly, it is not a bad idea and an experiment that might prove helpful in future races. However, it was not just the Hendrick Motorsports star who was in awe of the wet weather tires. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin also looked quite impressed with them.

WATCH THIS STORY: Hendrick Motorsports Icon Throws Shade at Chase Elliott Obsession as He Demands Equal Treatment

Denny Hamlin left in awe of NASCAR’s wet weather tires ahead of the North Wilkesboro Speedway return

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Time and again, Denny Hamlin has questioned NASCAR’s decisions but it’s not the same this time around. After participating in the first heat race on Saturday, Hamlin has gone all gaga over the wet weather tires used.

Speaking to Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass, the JGR driver said, “The slicks are just so hard that they actually didn’t fall off as much as what the rain tires did, and the rain tires ran faster. So we definitely got something. We saw it in Martinsville, and we’re seeing it here: You can run rain-ish tires on dry tracks and eventually have the type of racing that you’re looking for.

“We’re kind of the guinea pigs. But, you know, we think our car is strong in the dry. Hopefully, that’s what we’ll have tomorrow and we’ll show what we got then.” Furthermore, he was impressed by Goodyear and insisted that more time should be spent on something like this to make racing better at short tracks.

What do you make of the wet weather tires? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

READ MORE – After North Wilkesboro’s Revival, Chase Elliott Demands the Return of Historic NASCAR Track