Denny Hamlin Points Out NASCAR’s “Physics Problem” with Next Gen Cars, Impacting Passing During Races
Denny Hamlin has highlighted a significant issue with the Next Gen NASCAR cars, describing it as a “physics problem” that hinders drivers’ ability to pass during races. According to Hamlin, the design of the cars limits opportunities for creativity and drama on the track.
Hamlin elaborated on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, saying, “The big difference between XFINITY and Cup is that in Cup, the closer you get to another car, your car loses downforce completely. In XFINITY, as soon as you get close to the rear of the car ahead, they start losing rear downforce, allowing you to pass. We used to do that with the Gen 4 and 5 cars, but now with the Next Gen cars, it’s all underbody aerodynamics. You can’t take air off their spoiler because there’s hardly any air going to it. We’ve got a physics problem. I wish they’d let us create our own package for a track just once.”
As one of NASCAR’s accomplished drivers, Hamlin’s concerns raise questions about the sport’s future. Reflecting on in-race discussions, Hamlin noted, “Chris kept telling me it’s really close, but in that final stage, I knew passing was not going to happen. It’s just physics. Chase Elliott even joked about needing a ‘physics button’ to figure out how to pass. So, for now, it’s a ‘race’ to solve the science.”
