Denny Hamlin responds to massive NASCAR rule change

NASCAR star Denny Hamlin has weighed in on the sweeping changes made to the Cup Series' superspeedway package this week.

Daytona and Talladega have become fuel-saving races above all else in recent years, but NASCAR hopes that a new set of regulations, brought in for the regular season finale at Daytona next month, will go some way to fixing that.

The rear spoiler will be shortened three inches, from seven inches to four (the same height as at intermediate tracks), in an attempt to reduce drag, while horsepower will be knocked down from 510 to 465 to compensate for that change.

Hamlin was actually part of a larger working group tasked with coming up with potential solutions for the sport's current superspeedway issues, which see all drafting races turn into dull fuel-saving affairs until late in the final stage.

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Hamlin: Rule change is a step in the right direction

“What we’re essentially trying to recreate is Atlanta at Daytona and Talladega,” Hamlin said of the changes on Inside the Race. “It happens organically at Atlanta, the space between the cars, because the cars themselves are grip-limited, and the fuel-mileage (racing) really doesn’t happen because you have to be on offense constantly.

"If you watch the pack, there is no saving. Guys are dicing it up the entire race. So this is what we’re aspiring to get to at some point. And it’s going to take chunks here and there. This is our first bite of the apple at this, so what I believe is that from the numbers that I’ve seen, it’s going to be roughly a 33 per cent gain in the right direction.”

On the need for the changes, he added: “I can tell you from the driver’s seat what happens for us is that we spend the entire race fuel-mileage saving all for that last pit stop. We basically know you have to be in the top four inside that last fuel window, unless there’s a big wreck, to have a shot at winning.

"I mean, if you come out 10th, you are log-jammed; you’re not going anywhere. And with the cars having as much drag as they have on them, then you can’t pull out of line to be offensive to get your track position back.

“So we’re trying to make it to where it allows the drivers to pull out of line when they get a run, and then hopefully create a little bit of space between them to allow them to get back in line, so it’s not going to make them so apprehensive to go make that bold move with 30 to go.”