Denny Hamlin demands a new Next-Gen car and NASCAR leadership


Denny Hamlin demands a new Next-Gen car and NASCAR leadership

Denny Hamlin

NASCAR has been critical of the sport and the Next-Gen car from the start of the season. The 7th gen car safety has been the biggest concern for the sport. Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman suffering concussions from regular crashes have taken criticism to the next level.

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Several high-profile active and retired drivers have come forth demanding NASCAR solve the issues. Veteran drivers such as Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick are leading the driver’s voice regarding the Next-Gen car’s safety features. Every week, drivers are suffering the worst hits or crashes of their careers.

The NASCAR leadership is yet to find a feasible solution to the issue. The credibility of the organization is at stake considering the amount of time it had in producing the new-gen car. With the 2022 season coming to a close and the 23 season on the horizon, it’s high time for NASCAR to address the issues.

Also read: NASCAR driver Jordan Anderson suffers second-degree burns after fiery Talladega crash

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Denny Hamlin calls for New Next-Gen car and leadership

Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin spoke to the media on Saturday at Talladega and said that a full redesign of the Next-Gen car is necessary. He pointed out that the car front, the rear, composition, and nearly everything about the Next-Gen cars require design changes.

The car needs to be redesigned. It needs a full redesign. I mean, it can still be called NextGen, but it needs to be redesigned. It needs to be redesigned everywhere — front, middle, rear, competition. The whole thing needs to be redesigned,” Denny Hamlin said.

Denny Hamlin suggested that the upcoming playoff race in Martinsville will expose the safety of the Next-Gen car concerns. He pointed out that NASCAR took a step back with safety and competition while building the Next-Gen car.

We’ve got a tough Martinsville race that’s coming up. It’s going to be tough. This thing is just going to get exposed for how bad it races, and that’s just part of it. The competition, safety, we’d like to have it all better, but certainly, we took a step back in safety and competition this year,” Denny Hamlin added.

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Denny Hamlin pointed out that the whole sport is behind schedule if they have to redesign the car now. He said, “If I were to run this and say, ‘all right, we’re going to have a new car,’ we’d already be done with testing right now for next year’s car. We haven’t even begun. We’re just way too behind. This whole sport is behind,”.

Hamlin pointed out that NASCAR has conceded they are incapable of reinventing the car. He added that the feasible solution is to allow the teams to address the situation. He said, “It’s just (that) NASCAR has to concede that they’re not capable and let the teams do it,”.

Do you agree with Hamlin?

Also read: ‘It’s really similar to a full season points penalty,’ William Byron opens up about the severe Texas penalty

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Also read: ‘There’s no excuse for going backward,’ Chase Elliott frustrated by the safety of Next-Gen cars