Denny Hamlin has once again voiced sharp criticism towards the Next Gen cars, describing them as the “worst cars in NASCAR.” During a tumultuous Brickyard 400 marked by multiple cautions and overtaking challenges at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Hamlin’s frustration, which had been simmering through various races this season, reached a boiling point. The Next Gen cars, introduced at the 2022 Daytona 500 with objectives to enhance safety and establish competitive parity, seem to have faltered on expectations in practical racing scenarios.
The race in Indianapolis, which was notable for NASCAR’s return to the traditional oval layout after three years, highlighted significant issues with the Next Gen cars, particularly concerning race dynamics. According to NASCAR’s Loop Data, all top 11 drivers in terms of “Green Flag Speed” finished 25th or lower, a disappointing statistic that reveals the cars’ performance handicaps under race conditions. This underperformance, as Hamlin pointed out on his podcast ‘Actions Detrimental,’ stems largely from the cars’ inability to effectively draft and maneuver in traffic.
Hamlin commented, as quoted by Essentially Sports:
“If you would have asked me to pass anyone in that final stage, it was just not gonna happen. It’s just physics.
James Gilbert/Getty Images
“It’s just that we’re in a weird spot where the leader has such an advantage on that track because he’s got the clean air. You can run so much faster when you have the clean air.”
Critically, Hamlin’s discontent with the Next Gen cars isn’t new. Prior to their launch, he had repeatedly voiced concerns about their design and testing methods, particularly in traffic conditions—a crucial aspect of race-day performance. He continued:
“When we designed them, we designed a car that is worse than it’s ever been in traffic. I asked them three times – three times I asked John Probst before this car came out, ‘Are you sure it’s right? ‘Cause you haven’t put it around any other cars during the pre-season testing.'”
The Next Gen cars have faced a series of contentious moments, including the crashes during the Brickyard 400, which saw Hamlin and Kyle Busch clash while vying for top positions. Hamlin’s broader assessment of the scenario was poignant:
“These cars are horrendous. They’re the worst car by far in traffic than what we’ve ever had. We have tires are that pretty damn hard.”
2024 Brickyard 400 Results
- Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing, Toyota)
- Ryan Blaney (Team Penske, Ford)
- Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
- Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing, Toyota)
- Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
- Austin Cindric (Team Penske, Ford)
- Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
- Noah Gragson (Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford)
- Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet)
- Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
- Corey LaJoie (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
- Michael McDowell (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
- Zane Smith (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
- Ty Dillon (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
- Justin Haley (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
- Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing, Ford)
- Chris Buescher (RFK Racing, Ford)
- Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
- Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford)
- Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
- Ryan Preece (Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford)
- Martin Truex, Jr. (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
- Erik Jones (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Toyota)
- John Hunter Nemechek (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Toyota)
- Daniel Hemric (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
- Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
- Jimmie Johnson (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Toyota)
- Joey Logano (Team Penske, Ford)
- Josh Berry (Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford)
- Harrison Burton (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
- AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
- William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
- BJ McLeod (MBM Motorsports, Ford)
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.