The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, notorious for its unpredictable nature, has long bewildered drivers. The track exhibits, what Kevin Harvick coins as, “two different personalities” – one during practice and a starkly contrasting one on race day. Last weekend, Denny Hamlin, along with other drivers, found the familiar track to have taken on an alien persona, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the sport.
Denny Hamlin, known for his aptitude in deciphering track characteristics, found himself in a quandary. The car that performed brilliantly on Saturday was barely recognizable by Sunday, having lost its equilibrium and grip. Hamlin grappled with a track that had undergone a drastic transformation overnight, disrupting his team’s strategies and leaving him on a quest for answers.
On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin voiced his frustration over an issue that was beyond his control. When asked if setup problems were the root cause, he delved deeper, explaining that the quest for better performance on Saturdays was undermining his Sundays. He lamented, “Vegas felt like a completely new racetrack. The time, the rubber, the Cup cars laying down the rubber through the race… it’s just not the same.”
The discrepancy between qualifying and race day was stark for Hamlin. While all drivers experienced a drop in speed from qualifying to the race, Hamlin’s decline was more pronounced. He went from clocking 186 mph during qualifying to a significantly lower 181 mph during the race, while most drivers averaged around 183-184 mph. This led to Hamlin moving down the grid from his starting position of 15th to a disappointing finish in 25th place.
Hamlin attributed the anomaly to the difference in timing between qualifying and the Pennzoil 400, which started an hour later. He conjectured that the temperature variation could have been a contributing factor. Nevertheless, his late pit stop from fourth place also played a significant role in his final standing.
The #11 driver was candid about his approach, stating, “I drive the car on Saturday like I know I’m gonna drive it on Sunday… It’s a mystery.” His qualifying performances this season follow a visible pattern – he starts strong but struggles during the race. This trend is leading to concerns about a potential problem, exacerbated by his winless streak since NASCAR’s last visit to Dover.
NASCAR legend Dale Jr. expressed his concern, saying, “He had so many great years where we were thinking, ‘Man, this is the year,’… It’s an unfortunate thing, right, to be good enough and not get it.”
Hamlin is not the only one facing a winless streak. His former JGR teammate, Kyle Busch, also finds himself in a similar predicament. However, Busch recently took a break from racing to provide commentary for the Xfinity race, a move that was lauded by Hamlin. He praised Busch’s performance and suggested he might have found a new calling.
The reception of Busch’s commentary is a positive development for the broadcasting network CW, which faced backlash due to poor timing of commercials during races. Perhaps this fresh approach could help win back the favor of the audience.
In conclusion, the unpredictable nature of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway has once again made its presence felt, leaving even experienced drivers like Denny Hamlin bewildered. It underscores the dynamic and challenging nature of the sport and leaves us anticipating the exciting races ahead.
