Reportedly, NASCAR was going to shove the rule ebook apart for this yr’s All-Star Race, giving groups the chance to push their ingenuity to absolutely the restrict and work outdoors of the normally inflexible parameters for the Subsequent Gen automobile. Mainly, a race with Subsequent Gen vehicles and components, however no restrict on what groups may do to them. Nonetheless, this thrilling ‘run what you brung’ idea by no means materialized as a result of the groups had been in opposition to it.
Denny Hamlin, who competes for Joe Gibbs Racing but additionally co-owns 23XI Racing, gave some perception into why on his weekly podcast, Actions Detrimental. Hamlin additionally did his personal analysis, reaching out to different groups to study extra about their causes whereas opening up on his personal.
A improbable however costly present
Ultimately, it got here all the way down to cash for many. The fee far outweighed the $1 million greenback prize, however Hamlin admits that it may have resulted in an exhilarating present for the followers.
“In case you’re simply speaking to me — the race automobile driver and the fan — I’m going to say, rattling, I want we had this,” stated Hamlin. “This might be improbable. There may presumably be one thing that will get realized for the brief monitor package deal that might make it higher. You understand, the considered having vehicles which are completely different speeds than one another is improbable. Which means passing might be extra plentiful. There are a whole lot of positives that might come from that.”
However the $1 million greenback query stays: “Everybody desires to go have enjoyable and do all these items, however who’s going to pay for it?”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures
Placing his workforce proprietor hat again on, Hamlin then detailed how they might have “destroyed three of our vehicles to construct this automobile. Underneath the principles that had been sort of put in entrance of us, you need to use Subsequent Gen components, however you are able to do no matter you wish to them. So what we will do is destroy each piece and a part of that automobile and make it lighter or one thing. We’ll modify it. We’ll bend the chassis. We’ll do all kinds of issues that can make it unlawful at another race monitor that we go to.”
A part of the issue is that $1 million {dollars} to win is just not almost as engaging because it was 20+ years in the past, even with out the extra monetary burden of modifying current vehicles for an exhibition race. Hamlin reiterated the way it would not be price it, whether or not one in every of his 23XI vehicles went on to win the principle occasion or not. He estimated that prices could be almost double that of the winner’s purse in the long run.
“As a fan, as a driver, I want we may do it, however below the parameters that had been set, it simply wasn’t thought out sufficient,” concluded Hamlin. “It is not possible and no workforce goes to enroll to voluntarily lose hundreds of thousands of {dollars}.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Denny Hamlin
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