Denny Hamlin achieved consecutive triumphs at Bristol Motor Speedway. Denny Hamlin and his team No: 11 celebrated their victory in the Bristol Cup race (Via IMAGO). The NASCAR Cup Series event at Bristol on Sunday transported fans back to a nostalgic era where drivers made all the difference. The importance of track positions and challenging passing situations was absent, as drivers focused on managing the unexpectedly substantial tire wear caused by the new wheel provided by Goodyear.
Hamlin, an experienced driver on the grid, managed to fend off his veteran teammate in the final laps to secure his 52nd career victory and his fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway. This victory also marked consecutive wins for Hamlin, as he had emerged victorious in the 500-mile race at the renowned coliseum in 2023.
Toyota once again showed the fastest car, replicating their performance from the previous week in Phoenix. Extensive tire wear forced drivers to prioritize short-term strategies, and the speed advantage helped them extend tire life and make late pit stops. The JGR’s NO: 54 driver claimed victory in the early stages and put up a brave fight, but ultimately lacked speed to catch Hamlin in the end.
He settled for ninth place, one position ahead of his teammate. predicted before the race that Hamlin would emerge as the winner, and fortunately, his prediction came true when Truex Jr. ran out of tires to mount a challenge in the final laps. An interesting fact highlighting the exceptional performance of the top five drivers today is that, besides them, no one managed to finish within the lead laps. The last time such a limited number of drivers finished the race outside the lead lap was twenty years ago.
Over the years, tire wear has gradually become less concerning for drivers, especially in the Next-Gen era. Consequently, most teams in the pit lane struggled due to a lack of proper understanding on how to deal with this situation. Hamlin, on the other hand, had no issues thanks to his vast experience, which allowed him to secure victories.
The key to Hamlin’s triumph lay in his tire management and the timing of his final pit stop, which gave him the opportunity to accelerate. Tire changes have proven to be the solution to the issue of short track racing faced by Next-Gen cars, and NASCAR should further explore this approach in the upcoming short track events of the year.
