Has superspeedway racing lost its essence? Are late-race wrecks deciding winners more than driver skill? Denny Hamlin thinks so, and he’s not alone. He calls out manufacturer alliances, predictable crashes, and the fading role of real strategy. Nate Ryan agrees—the sport has strayed from its roots. Since 2019, chaos has replaced calculated moves. The question now is clear—has NASCAR’s most thrilling racing become too scripted?

Denny Hamlin isn’t just criticizing superspeedway racing—he’s sounding the alarm on how it has fundamentally changed. He argues that manufacturer alliances and pack racing have stripped away the strategy that once defined NASCAR’s greatest battles. Instead of bold, skillful moves determining winners, Hamlin sees races reduced to predictable wrecks and last-lap chaos. 

His concerns aren’t his alone. Others in the sport, including insider Nate Ryan, have echoed similar frustrations. As the debate grows, it’s clear that many within NASCAR are questioning whether the sport’s signature events have lost their essence.

NASCAR’s Superspeedway Dilemma: Nate Ryan Weighs In

Denny Hamlin isn’t just voicing frustration—he’s exposing a pattern that has reshaped NASCAR’s superspeedway racing. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, he argued that skill and strategy have taken a backseat to manufacturer alliances, forcing drivers into pack racing with little room for independent moves. Instead of calculated risks, races now hinge on blocking, survival, and last-lap wrecks that determine the winner. He believes this shift has robbed the sport of its purity, turning once-thrilling battles into chaotic spectacles.

“I do agree with Denny Hamlin, I did listen to Actions detrimental, and I had the same impression that Denny did about the state of superspeedway racing. I love the Daytona 500, I live watching and reviewing strategies. The moves that are made during these races. Since 2019 it has felt like a mad libs of quality where you can fill in the lap no when the big wreck happens or a boneheaded move a star driver makes to take out a bunch of other worthy drivers, I do wish, NASCAR wasn’t in a period here of six consecutive years maybe 1 or two where it wasn’t like this,” Nate Ryan said.

Nate Ryan has been warning about this trend since 2019 and recently reinforced Hamlin’s concerns on Hauler Talk. He noted that superspeedway racing follows a predictable pattern—late wrecks, a lucky winner, and frustrated drivers. Ryan Newman, a vocal critic, nearly died in a 2020 Daytona 500 crash, exposing its dangers. “It does feel as if it comes down to a big wreck at the end and then you have a winner. Denny’s point is well taken that he’s looking for more purity. In terms of a driver winning the race on the merits of moves they made with a very very fast car.”

Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. has voiced his frustration, noting how unpredictable and wreck-heavy these races have become. The growing concern among drivers and analysts is whether NASCAR has sacrificed true competition in favor of high-stakes entertainment. Hamlin, Ryan, and others are demanding change. But will NASCAR listen? Or will superspeedway racing remain a wreck-filled gamble, decided by the next inevitable “Big One”?

Trending

1

Richard Petty Calls for NASCAR to Return to Its Roots Amid Fans Growing Resentment

2

Roger Penske’s Final Hopes Slipping Away as NASCAR Fans Prepare for Honda

3

Bubba Wallace Proposes a Bold Solution to End NASCAR’s Hypocrisy on Dangerous Daytona Finish

4

“I’d Have Smacked Him”: NASCAR Veteran Sends a Strong Message to Defend Dale Earnhardt Jr. Against Fans’ Hate

5

Jimmie Johnson Goes After Rick Hendrick and Others’ NASCAR Legacy With New World Ideas

Strategy or Survival? The Changing Face of Superspeedway Racing

The 2025 Daytona 500 sparked debate among fans once again. Since NASCAR introduced the Next Gen Car, superspeedway racing has changed. Drivers now run two- or even three-wide, perfectly lined up in rows. The problem? Many feel they can no longer make the aggressive, race-winning moves they once did. “William Byron legitimizes it because he won last year, and it’s like, ‘well, it’s clearly not a game of chance, you know, two in a row.’ So you’re gonna have that argument, but I just think that had it been someone else, I think you probably have more of a, whoa, like, can we do something to fix this?” Denny Hamlin said.

Denny Hamlin questioned whether the Daytona 500 still rewards skill or just survival. He pointed to William Byron’s back-to-back wins as a counterargument. Some say Byron’s success proves the race isn’t random. But Hamlin argued that if another driver had won, more people would be calling for change. This isn’t the first time superspeedway racing has faced criticism. Similar concerns arose after the 2019 Daytona 500 when late-race wrecks overshadowed strategy. That year, a massive pileup took out several top contenders, leaving survival as the key to victory. Hamlin believes history keeps repeating itself, proving that NASCAR needs to fix the problem.

But it’s not just the car’s design. Teams now prioritize fuel saving, especially around stage breaks and cautions. As a result, drivers often cruise around the track instead of truly racing. Yet, this hasn’t made superspeedway racing any safer. Despite lower horsepower, these tight packs still trigger violent multi-car crashes.

This proves Hamlin’s point. Winning the Daytona 500 now feels more about avoiding wrecks than skill. A portion of fans agree, frustrated by how strategy has replaced true competition. Others, however, argue the race still rewards talent, pointing to William Byron’s back-to-back victories. Hamlin, though, had an answer for that too.