“I don’t think it’s gonna be game-changing,” said Joey Logano, sharing his opinion about a moderate 60-70 hp increase in the Next-Gen car. Ever since Elton Sawyer revealed that a bump in power is being discussed behind the scenes, the excitement has been palpable in the NASCAR garage. After all, drivers have been demanding more horsepower ever since the new car was introduced in 2022, and it finally looks like their prayers are being answered.
However, not everyone is happy with the ‘minor’ improvement, with many drivers, including the reigning champ, left feeling wanting for more. But Denny Hamlin has now weighed in, expressing that he’ll take what is given under the circumstances, even if it’s not the ideal improvement.
Denny Hamlin is grateful for any improvement
It’s no secret that the Next-Gen car has struggled on short tracks. NASCAR has tried desperately to improve the package, even exploring softer tire compounds by working with Goodyear to increase the tire falloff. While it has worked in some instances, it’s not a long-term solution to what seems like a consistent problem. One of the hotly debated ideas has been to increase horsepower from 650 hp, a direction most drivers are leaning towards, so that cars have more speed.
However, a minor horsepower increase won’t satisfy the itch for most. But Denny Hamlin, sharing his thoughts on the Actions Detrimental podcast, will take what is given at this point. The veteran said, “You know, I mentioned it in the media center, and I heard a lot of drivers say, ‘Well, that’s not enough.’ I think we need to just take whatever they want to give us and shut up and move on. Because it will absolutely be better than 670, which we currently have. Is it going to be a total game-changer? It will not. But there’s no question, it will make it better. I don’t know. It could be 5% better, 10% better. It will create more tire falloff.”
However, some other drivers on the grid are not happy with what is seemingly a minor improvement in horsepower. Wanting NASCAR to go big or go home, Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry candidly said, “It probably needs to be pretty significant.” He wasn’t alone either, with Joey Logano wanting a complete overhaul, saying, “Like not just the engine, but the drivetrain, all like it’s got to be beefed up more..”
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Qualifying Nov 9, 2024 Avondale, Arizona, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin 11 during qualifying for the Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Avondale Phoenix Raceway Arizona USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20241109_gav_sv5_003
But Denny Hamlin has a more mature approach to this scenario. He believes that compromising and finding a middle ground with NASCAR will be key to even a minor improvement becoming a reality. The 44-year-old went on to say, “I just think that it sounds like 750 is kind of where they’re gonna go back to, which is an absolute win for the fans, it’s a win for the drivers. While it’s a small win, it’s still in the right direction, so we don’t need to poo poo on it.”
At a time when Cup Series teams are already struggling to be sustainable, a significant increase in horsepower will also be an added cost. Such a scenario might not be affordable, especially for some of the smaller sides, and Denny Hamlin, being the co-owner of 23XI Racing, recognizes NASCAR’s challenges when making such a decision. Perhaps that’s why he isn’t opposing what looks like a minor improvement, taking all things under consideration.
Horsepower increases might be closer than expected
NASCAR has changed significantly in the last few decades. Just a few years ago, stock cars at the highest level had 900 hp, which was gradually decreased until the highly controversial 550 hp package was introduced in 2019. The reasoning was simple: by limiting power, the engines could be used for more races, reducing the cost for teams. Safety was also a concern, as more speed meant higher impact crashes.
However, when the Next-Gen car was introduced in 2022, the sanctioning body went back up in horsepower to 670 to improve the quality of racing. And now, it looks like another bump might be on the cards. Sharing his thoughts on the Hauler Talk podcast, Mike Forde, NASCAR Managing Director of Racing Communications, refused to close the door on horsepower increase this year, saying, “We’ll see if this is something that’s put into place this season.”
While an 80 hp increase is the most likely scenario, nothing is set in stone yet. Forde went on to say, “That is something that we said, ‘You got it. We’ll look into it.’ So we are working with the engine builders now on that exact topic.” Whatever the outcome may be, it’s refreshing to see NASCAR listen to the drivers and fans and reciprocate with effort from their side. The strategy of increasing power is a gamble that might not work, and it’ll be back to the drawing board if that happens. But if it pays off, it could change everything.
The post “Shut Up and Move On” – Denny Hamlin Rubbishes Joey Logano’s Counteroffer as NASCAR Offers an Olive Branch appeared first on EssentiallySports.
