Just as the Daytona 500 race is approaching, 23XI Racing team owner Denny Hamlin has some valid suggestions for NASCAR. Though the Joe Gibbs Racing driver may sound unfiltered, he certainly has a point. Since the launch of Next-Gen cars, there has been something or other that has become inconvenient for race drivers. In an Instagram reel posted by Dirty Mo Media’s Actions Detrimental episode, Hamlin raised some concerns about the bumper tags.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver detailed his experience with them while driving in the car. 

Denny Hamlin on his experience with bumpers

Denny Hamlin said, “The bumper tags still hurt. I don’t feel anything softer. I know that, that’s something that NASCAR might be still testing, is softer bumpers itself. Man, we need it, really bad.” 

The 42-year-old added that as he starts the bumper to tag in the corner; the HANS locks out, and it feels like a jar on the head. He called it pretty abrupt and said he never spoke about it before.

Continuing to explain his situation when he was in the car, the 23XI Racing co-owner said, “Again, I had both sides knocked off, both bumpers knocked off. I don’t know if carbon monoxide or what… I was helping the pilots. I had put on their mask and I am like I need oxygen, and I don’t feel well at all, and I still right now, I don’t feel good at all.”

Fans react to Denny Hamlin’s concerns

As soon as the video was posted, there were a lot of fans who agreed with the three-time Daytona 500 winner. They seem to be worried and concerned about the drivers as well as the sport in general. A fan wrote, “The NextGen car has been a disaster from the start”

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“This new car is junk,” and “Them cars are a death trap.”

Raising a strong point, a fan wrote, “I wonder when NASCAR will start listening to the drivers.”

Another fan said, “So NASCAR didn’t have the car fixed in time for this season. I’m really worried about y’all this year man. I pray we don’t see anyone else have to hang up the helmet because of this car.”

One user questioning NASCAR about safety wrote unfiltered, “How the f**k can NASCAR in 2023 not develop a safer car. On top of that, to put drivers in this situation is absolutely unacceptable and pathetic. Always preaching safety, yet proving it’s only about the money. They are slowly turning into Indycar that was proven to be a dead sport. All the while exploiting the sport for every business dollar on every ladder within the sport. The suits of the industry haven’t a clue about the sport. They only know how to suck it dry to exploit it in every step of the way. Sad to see it go down the crapper this way.”

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It looks like Denny Hamlin and fans have given their opinions on the new Next-Gen cars. But what will happen next? Only time can tell. Will NASCAR take the appropriate measures to have these concerns resolved soon?