Denny Hamlin was true to his word. Last week, a fan had taken to social media to question why teams rejected the ‘run what you brung’ concept for the All-Star race. Promising to address the underlying reasons on the Actions Detrimental podcast, the veteran racer had written, “It is true. I’ll talk about it Monday, and why the decision was made.” Outspoken as ever, the 44-year-old explained in detail why he and his fellow team owners rejected the proposal, and it all came down to just one thing: money.
Is he indicating that a lawless, ‘run what you brung’ format isn’t financially feasible, even for a team as big as 23XI Racing? That certainly appears to be the case, even though $1 million is up for grabs for the All-Star Race winner at North Wilkesboro next month.
Denny Hamlin wishes he could go along with the ‘wild’ format
NASCAR has always been defined by fine margins, where the smallest advantage can make all the difference in winning and losing. With the stock car racing series depending on a single source supplier, gaining an advantage on the Next-Gen car depends on drivers’ skills, fuel strategy, pit efficiency, as well as the way the cars are tuned. However, all rules would go out the window in a ‘do whatever you want’ All-Star race, which means teams will leave no stone unturned to modify their vehicles in ways that may be deemed ‘illegal’ in any other circumstances.
However, Denny Hamlin feels that despite the concept being exciting theoretically, it’s not practical for NASCAR teams. Sharing his thoughts on the Actions Detrimental podcast, the 23XI Racing co-owner said, “I couldn’t imagine what this would cost us. More than likely, 2 million dollars? It just doesn’t make sense, guys. Trust me, as a fan and a driver, I wish we could do it. But under the parameters that were set, it just wasn’t thought out enough. It’s not feasible. No team is going to sign up to voluntarily lose millions of dollars.”
This might be one of those rare situations where both the ‘smaller’ and ‘bigger’ teams might be on the same page regarding the financial feasibility of the ‘Run what you brung’ concept. Teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have four drivers each, which means modifying four cars would amount to millions of dollars. It’s a problem area Denny Hamlin identified as well, saying, “Just in parts and pieces, to replace all this sh-t that we’re gonna modify, we’re gonna spend a sh-t ton of money.” And the payoff? $1 million. “Even if one of my cars won, I don’t see it as remotely break-even proposition,” Hamlin said, and he may have a point.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 04: Denny Hamlin speaks with the media during NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center on September 04, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
If Denny Hamlin had it his way, he would want to “destroy three of our cars to build this car.” However, team owners have to accept the practical hurdles of the ‘Run what you brung’ format, especially considering that only three teams (Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske) have CNC machines to modify parts. However, Hamlin is open to a more limited and targeted open rules race, especially if NASCAR allowed teams to modify ride heights and body placement without modifying single-source parts.
Giving a more practical suggestion, Hamlin said, “So maybe we say, ‘Hey, you can run whatever spoiler, whatever, you can run the car at whatever ride height you want. So if you want to put the back end a foot up in the air, go right ahead.” Ultimately, teams are all in for shaking up the All-Star format, especially if the cars look and run differently to make it exciting for fans. But it should be financially sustainable for such a concept to be entertained seriously.
Hamlin throws shade at NASCAR’s officiating
Denny Hamlin isn’t one to mince his words. The veteran racer has always been outspoken about his views on all things NASCAR, always saying it like it is, irrespective of the consequences. With the All-Star race on the horizon, the sanctioning body has recently revealed new rules for the non-points-paying race, which will not only be longer but also have the option for a promoter’s caution.
For those who don’t know, that’s a caution promoters can throw at any point in the All-Star race before Lap 220, unless a caution occurs on its own after Lap 200. NASCAR’s executive vice president, John Probst, even described it as a way of “pushing the envelope with fresh competitive elements.” However, Hamlin couldn’t help but make a tongue-in-cheek comment when FOX’s Bob Pockrass asked him, “What do you think of Marcus Smith being able to throw a caution during the second half of the All-Star Race?”
Taking a dig at NASCAR’s current officiating standards and their tendency to throw cautions without reason, Denny Hamlin laughed and replied, “I don’t know how it’s much different from what we already have, truthfully.” He’s not the only one thinking along these lines, with Chase Elliott also saying, “I think that there’s been some questionable cautions thrown in the course of the history of the sport in general. So I’d just as soon know that that’s coming and that’s the plan beforehand.”
It’s clear that the 23XI Racing co-owner isn’t exactly in NASCAR’s good books, but at this point, he probably doesn’t care either. Do you agree with Hamlin and Elliott’s views? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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