The loudest advocate of the “horsepower debate,” Denny Hamlin, will be looking forward to turning his fortunes sideways at Bristol after last week’s spinout in Phoenix. The 43-year-old #11 driver for Joe Gibbs Racing will run his 652nd race in the Cup Series on Sunday as he prepares for another season where he will hope to lift the Bill France Cup for the first time in his extensive racing career spanning more than two decades.

But the spotlight on the controversial Hamlin usually falls due to his unfiltered opinions and unbiased criticisms, and at Bristol before Sunday’s race, it was no different, as the “power-bump” discussions followed the #11 right to the media center.

Denny Hamlin Says More Power or Nothing Else

The crux of the matter is Denny Hamlin’s demands for more than 750 horsepower engines in the new Next-Gen cars. Although it would be a call back to the Gen 6 era, NASCAR’s current goal of sustainability, both ecologically and economically, casts many speculations over Hamlin’s initial sentiments.

Journalist Matt Weaver was the latest of all to ask Denny Hamlin his thoughts on not just the recurring discussions but also on his alternatives to “more power.” Weaver took to Twitter post-press conference to share, “I asked Denny Hamlin during a presser, if horsepower just isn’t on the table from NASCAR at all, as a team owner, would he be open to a narrower tire and wheel and he shot it down pretty fast for cost, R&D and testing reasons?”

When Hamlin was asked by Matt Weaver, “Does it have to be power, period?”. It was his co-owner side for 23XI Racing that shone through as he replied, “We do, yeah.” This resounding answer proved his claims as researched and not just another whisper in the wind, and with other drivers and NASCAR icons resonating with the #11’s demands, is more horsepower realistically the “profitability” solution that NASCAR officials have been asking for?

NASCAR needs a concrete answer

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NASCAR President Steve Phelps threw water over the claims recently, citing that the “answer” isn’t more horsepower, as more muscle results in a bump in expenses as well. To maintain “profitability,” NASCAR must find a perfect balance, as Denny Hamlin had suggested earlier, with the 750-hp example in a recent discussion with Jared Allen on Actions Detrimental.

Additionally, the senior executive, Steve O’Donnell, pointed to another whisper that has been growing traction over the days, with Honda rumored to enter as the newest manufacturer in NASCAR. O’Donnell had stated earlier, providing his own unique lens on things, “It better make sense for any potential new OEM and technology. It’s not just a short-term answer.

Many drivers, like Kyle Larson and 23XI Racing’s #45 Tyler Reddick, argue for an increase of more than 250+ hp on Denny’s initial 750 solution. Although the discussions are rife with at least a dozen different theories and suppositions, NASCAR will have to find a balance soon.

“You’d Have to Be Above 1000 Horsepower”: Tyler Reddick Keeps More Power Fanatics at Bay, Rescuing Steve Phelps After His “Expensive” Justification

With this becoming the hottest topic of discussion in recent days, will it be a drastic 1000-hp bump or Denny Hamlin’s 750 suggestions? Will Honda be the one to bring in the increase with their much-anticipated entry into the Cup Series? The questions are endless, and only NASCAR has all the answers.