Bristol Motor Speedway, a half-mile concrete oval with steep 24- to 28-degree banking, is notorious for chewing through tires like few other tracks. The constant high-speed turns and abrasive surface force drivers to battle extreme tire wear,  and this setup often leads to hazardous buildup, where debris ignites under intense heat, sparking fires that threaten everything on the track. Recent chaos at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on September 13, where a car caught on fire, amplified these dangers, leaving veterans on edge about what could go wrong next.

Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford erupted in flames around Lap 455 due to tire rubber accumulating in the right-front fender, mirroring Josh Berry’s earlier Stage 1 blaze that ended his playoff run. Cindric, who clawed back to the Round of 12 thanks to his Talladega victory in April , finished 30th but advanced on points. Incidents like these have stirred worries among seasoned pros like Denny Hamlin, with 59 Cup wins over two decades and his own Texas fire scare in May 2025 fresh in mind. Hearing from a driver who’s felt the heat firsthand offers real insight into these risks.

Denny Hamlin sounds alarm on fire hazards

In a recent episode of his Spotify podcast “Actions Detrimental,” Denny Hamlin didn’t hold back on the perils drivers face when cars ignite mid-race, drawing from Austin Cindric’s harrowing Bristol ordeal. Hamlin marveled at Cindric’s grit, saying, “Cindric was willing to die in there… I couldn’t believe they didn’t pop the window out… I don’t know if there’s a rule against that or not.”

This stems from Cindric‘s right-front fire, triggered by Bristol’s punishing concrete grinding tires to shreds, causing rubber to pile up and catch ablaze under the fender’s heat. Hamlin’s concern spikes because he’s lived it; his No. 11 Toyota burst into flames in May at Texas on Lap 75 after an engine blowout spun him between Turns 1 and 2, forcing a 38th-place exit.

The podcast host pressed Hamlin on the chaos, noting how smoke floods the cockpit in a confined space, making escape tough. Hamlin agreed, emphasizing, “There was so much smoke in Cindric’s car while he was on pit lane. I was thinking, just pop the window out. Pop the window out.” For Cindric, the smoke was overwhelming as he dove to the pit road; his team doused the flames with extinguishers, but he inhaled thick fumes while staying put until it was safe to get out.

Post-race, Cindric reflected, “I had the fire there and definitely had a lot of smoke, but huge credit to all my guys behind the wall, over the wall, to be prepared for a situation like that and to only lose five laps.” Hamlin, who is not a fan of next-gen cars to begin with, worries that these next-gen cars catch fire too often; four or five extinguishers are needed sometimes, turning routine wear into life-threatening traps. Cindric’s resolve shone through as he joked about waiting to exit until the smoke cleared to “a color other than smokey gray,” but the incident underscores Hamlin’s point: drivers risk it all in blistering cabins.

Bristol‘s setup, with its short laps and tire-shredding banks, amplified the rubber meltdown that ignited Cindric’s car. Hamlin, drawing from over 20 years in the sport, sees these as red flags for safety upgrades, especially after his Texas scare, where flames forced quick action from safety crews.

While Hamlin pushes for better protections amid rising fire risks, his own playoff path hit a snag at Bristol. That wheel-loss drama now looms over his team as they head into tougher rounds.

Hamlin braces for punishments for his crew members

Denny Hamlin’s strong start to the second playoff round took a hit after a Lap 385 mishap at Bristol, where his No. 11 lost a right-front wheel following contact with AJ Allmendinger, triggering a crash and immediate two-lap hold. Seeded with 26 points above the cutline, Hamlin now faces potential suspensions for two over-the-wall crew members under NASCAR rules for detached wheels on track.

Crew chief Chris Gayle noted the unusual timing, saying, “We don’t know what happened yet,” Gayle told Motorsport.com while going through the post-race inspection process. “There was definitely contact with (Allmendinger), and there was contact with the wheel nut at the same time, and I’ve never seen contact like that before, so I’m sure they’ll do more investigating. We’ll see.”

Hamlin downplayed the fault, explaining, “It is what it is,” Hamlin said. “We were the only car on pit road at the time, and unfortunately, the tire fell off.” The incident stemmed from wall contact a lap prior, which Hamlin suspects bent the suspension, adding, “There was clearly an issue with the car. We had just hit the wall the lap before, so I can’t look at the suspension and tell if it was broke or not. Certainly, there was something there that was out of whack.” This could sideline key crew for New Hampshire and Kansas, testing the team’s depth.

Gayle affirmed readiness, stating, “We are for sure, always prepared for anything that might happen,” Gayle said. “But for sure, we’ll be prepared either way.” As investigations wrap, Hamlin’s squad focuses on adapting, but the penalty threat adds pressure to an already intense Round of 12 push.