Even Richard Petty was bored watching the recent race at Bristol Motor Speedway. “I think of all the races I’ve seen in a long time, that (Bristol) was the least racing of any place we’ve ever seen,” he said after Kyle Larson dominated the event, leading 462 of the 500 laps.
Expectations were high for Bristol to deliver another thrilling race, but it ultimately underperformed, especially after the excitement from the first race of the season.
During the spring race, teams were caught off guard by extreme tire wear, which was far more severe than NASCAR and Goodyear had predicted. Mid-race, teams were even issued additional tires to complete the event.
Veteran driver Denny Hamlin won that race, with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) excelling in tire management. But the recent race lacked the same drama—no excitement, no thrill—just a routine Kyle Larson show. This performance has led veterans to question NASCAR’s current short-track package, with even “The King” Richard Petty joining the chorus of criticism.
Richard Petty Suggests Upgrades
For 2024, NASCAR introduced a new aero package that included splitter stuffers, an increase in spoiler width from two inches to three, and simplified diffuser components. However, the horsepower remained unchanged at 670. Denny Hamlin, who finished fourth in the latest Bristol race, has been vocal about the need for increased horsepower.
Hamlin previously stated, “The more you can get us out of the gas, which means if we have more horsepower, we have to let off sooner. That gives us the opportunity to overtake for the cars behind. Fifty horsepower, while it may not be a game changer, any horsepower gain will be an advantage for passing.” Hamlin advocates for a return to the pre-next-gen era’s 750 horsepower, believing that minimal changes would be needed. NASCAR, however, has prioritized safety and resisted making significant adjustments.
Now, even seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty has echoed Hamlin’s sentiments. Petty remarked, “Until they give them a little bit of horsepower, at least on the short tracks… when the cars get down below them, the outside groove was so fast. If the guys had a little bit of horsepower, once they got down there, they could at least come off the corners. When they run low, it bogs the car down.” Given Petty’s remarkable experience—200 Cup Series wins and 128 of those on short tracks—his perspective carries weight.
The Numbers Speak
Petty’s critique is backed by stats. With 552 Cup Series starts on short tracks, he boasts 128 wins and an average finish of 8.1. His assessment of Bristol being the least exciting race in a long time is not just opinion; it’s grounded in experience. Compared to 54 lead changes in the first Bristol race, the recent event only had eight. Kyle Larson led the majority of the laps, with only three other drivers leading at all: Alex Bowman with 34 laps (after starting in P1), Tyler Reddick with three laps, and Bubba Wallace with just one.
This trend mirrors other recent short-track races—at Richmond, three drivers led 339 of the 400 laps. While some attribute this to reduced tire wear, many veterans place the blame on the next-gen car.
It’s Not the Tires, It’s the Car
Denny Hamlin believes that increasing horsepower is just the first step. He has long advocated for a complete overhaul of the next-gen car. “The car needs to be redesigned; it needs a full redesign. It can still be called next-gen, but it needs to be redesigned everywhere—front, middle, rear, competition.
The whole thing needs to be redesigned,” Hamlin argued. After the recent Bristol race, he reiterated this, pointing out that NASCAR is trying to fix a car problem with a tire solution.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. supports Hamlin’s criticism of the next-gen car. The veteran driver has stated that the current car isn’t built for oval tracks. “We bounce back and forth between where we put the blame every time we have one of these bad races. Oh! It’s the tire, and then the next week it’s a car thing. As you know, Denny made the case this week on his show that it’s the car. And so no one’s wrong. But I’m gonna say this: that race car is a sports car. That is a sports car running ovals,” Earnhardt Jr. explained.
According to Junior, the next-gen car is primarily designed for road courses. “It’s got a lot of technology from the Supercar in Australia that runs predominantly road courses. It’s got a lot of components similar to a GT3 car—it is a sports car. It’s got these wide tires, a diffuser, an underbody, all the aero, and they’re racing it on ovals.”
As NASCAR approaches the penultimate race of the season at Martinsville, changes need to be made quickly. If Martinsville turns out to be another one-man show, it could spell disaster for NASCAR.
NASCAR Legend Richard Petty Echoes Denny Hamlin’s Horsepower Debate as Bristol Fails to Excite Fans.
