Denny Hamlin knows how to make the short trip, love him or hate him. Hamlin has won three of the five short track races so far, starting at Bristol Motor Speedway and winning at Dover Motor Speedway in Richmond in somewhat controversial circumstances. His results in Martinsville, Iowa, and now New Hampshire have been less than ideal, but the 43-year-old understands well NASCAR’s concerns about short track racing and improving its quality.
Denny Hamlin downplayed Jordan Bianchi’s playful suggestion that he would solve NASCAR’s short track problems once and for all, as the use of rain tires has been a huge success at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Denny Hamlin on racing in wet weather tires
The race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was significant in many ways. Facing persistent rain and thunderstorms that would have otherwise ended the race early, NASCAR elected to complete all 301 laps of the 1,058-mile track. The main reason for NASCAR’s decision was rain tires provided by Goodyear as the bad weather was expected.
What followed was 82 laps of exciting action in wet conditions, much to the delight of the fans. Jared Allen noted that the quality of the racing had improved since the track was expanded with wet tires, and spoke about Jordan Bianchi’s suggestion that NASCAR add sprinklers to the short track to make the racing more interesting. Denny Hamlin responded: “I know he’s joking, but if we need to wet the track to improve short track racing, we might as well cover the track with dirt.
Because we’re already doing that. I don’t get it. Why are they widening? We want to avoid the paint kind of thing, we want to avoid the rubber kind of thing that’s under the wet track.” Denny Hamlin spoke about Michael McDowell’s collision with Chase Briscoe in New Hampshire at the end of the year and also spoke about the dangers of racing in difficult conditions. “We’re not going to be able to run the tyres on the track,” he said. “That’s also what caused the incident with McDowell at the end of the race.
Everyone was fighting for the top lane because that was the only semi-dry track we had. We look for the driest surface possible with the least amount of rubber and paint. That’s why we distribute them all over the racetrack.” Wet weather tyres were far from a popular option, especially on oval tracks up until the New Hampshire race. However, they agree that it not only works as intended, but also exceeds expectations.
The tire not only allows races to start earlier, but also makes it much more entertaining than NASCAR’s short track format, as drivers have to improvise on the track in unfamiliar conditions. Unlike other formats, short races have had their fair share of problems, with the exception of a race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where excessive tire wear forced drivers to improvise in ways they had never done before on a short track.
To determine the cause of the increased tire wear on the track, NASCAR and Goodyear scheduled tire testing for July. Although fans and drivers have been very critical of the short track package, Dale Anhart Jr. believes NASCAR is heading in the right direction.
Dale Earnhardt Jr outlines his expectations for short track package
Short track races in NASCAR’s Cup Series have been a gamble this season. With the exception of the Bristol race, Iowa and Martinsville have received criticism from fans and drivers.
However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes the negative feedback has given NASCAR some valuable insight and that they are now taking the necessary steps to make improvements where necessary.
In an interview with Bob Pockrass, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said: “I was very critical of the short track package on my content, Dirty Mo’ Media, The Dale Jr. Download. And fans are vocal in their criticism, everyone wants NASCAR to do it right, and everyone has a different opinion, including me. ”
Regarding the North Wilkesboro All-Star Race, Earnhardt Jr. said: “We didn’t achieve the desired results with different tire combinations. But they learned from that,” the 49-year-old concluded, and “I hope Goodyear will push the limits race by race in terms of softer compounds and tires that will give us the race we want.”
Producing tires with too soft a compound could lead to tire punctures and put the safety of the drivers at risk. On the other hand, a harder tire would invite criticism that it would compromise the quality of the race. Drivers, crew chiefs and fans have never been shy about their criticism, but now they are calling on US tire manufacturers to release softer tires and promising to refrain from criticism if the tires do not perform as intended.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes the short track package is still salvageable, but it remains to be seen if his expectations will be met. What do you think about NASCAR’s short track racing? Let us know in the comments!
