Denny Hamlin voiced strong frustration over NASCAR and Goodyear’s tire choices after the recent race at Iowa Speedway, highlighting how the lack of tire degradation removed passing opportunities and reduced excitement. His disappointment stemmed from a conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr. where they discussed the minimal falloff of the tires used for the event.
Hamlin started just outside the top 10 on August 3 but was caught in chaos after several restarts shuffled the field. During a fierce four-wide restart battle, he spun following contact and eventually finished in 24th place, reflecting a tough day on a track otherwise dominated by fuel strategy rather than tire wear.
The race featured 12 cautions covering 72 laps, which contributed to a slower overall pace. William Byron, the race leader, relied heavily on stretching his fuel window to secure victory, a tactic becoming increasingly common as tire degradation fades. With tires maintaining performance throughout stints, teams prioritized fuel management over fresh tires, resulting in extended green-flag runs that limited overtaking chances.
Hamlin Criticizes Tire Performance and Impact on Racing
Turning his criticism toward Goodyear, Hamlin explained that the lack of tire falloff meant cars ran at very similar speeds, making it difficult for leaders to quickly pass lapped traffic. He shared a screenshot with Dale Earnhardt Jr., showing data from a tire test that revealed nearly zero performance drop after 50 laps.
“When the leader catches the 30th place car, it just takes him forever to work them over because there’s not enough difference in speed from that car to that car. And then when you look at the course of the run, I sent Dale Jr a screenshot of this on Saturday night and I said, ‘Can you believe that we tire tested here,….and this is the tire that they came up with, is the one that had zero fall off after 50 laps,’ he said via Youtube/Actions Detrimental. [ 8:40 onwards]
“How in the world do you expect us to put on a good race when everyone’s going to run the same speed,” he added.
Hamlin’s comments highlight a growing concern among drivers and fans that tire performance directly affects the quality of competition, especially on short tracks like Iowa Speedway.
Looking Ahead to Watkins Glen International
NASCAR’s next stop is Watkins Glen International, a road course where Hamlin has previously shown competitive form. In 2023, Hamlin secured the pole position there and narrowly missed victory, leading only three laps during the race. The change in circuits may offer a fresh challenge away from the tire issues faced at Iowa.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reflects on Coping with Winless Streaks
Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently discussed parallels between his own struggles with a long winless streak and Bubba Wallace’s ongoing dry spell of 100 races without a victory. During an episode of Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt Jr. candidly described how public perception shifts negatively during these periods, with critics quick to label drivers as overrated.
“I’ve been in those situations where you have a long dry spell and everybody’s talking sh*t, and that’s when people think you’re overrated. They come out and they’re all like, ‘Yep, see he’s overrated, man, and he’s getting all this attention,’” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. [50:09 onwards]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s own winless drought started in 2008 and lasted 143 starts, ending in 2012 at Michigan International Speedway. He continued competing in the Cup Series for several years after before retiring from full-time racing.
The frustrations of both Hamlin and Earnhardt Jr. underscore the ongoing challenges faced by drivers when external factors, such as tire performance and public scrutiny, influence their competitive experience and results. As NASCAR moves forward to the Watkins Glen race, drivers hope for conditions that promote closer racing and more on-track excitement.
