Denny Hamlin ‘Pulls No Punches’ After Darlington Race Lashing Out on Next-Gen Car

Denny Hamlin has long been the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the Next-Gen car’s limitations. He’s not just murmuring on his Actions Detrimental podcast — he’s been calling out the car for homogenizing the field, saying bluntly that “the field is running the same speed”, a lethal flaw at tracks like Darlington where overtaking demands a few tenths of separation. That consistency has robbed racetracks of bravery, and for a driver who built his legacy on mastering challenge, it’s been a bitter pill to swallow.

Still, come playoff time at Darlington, Hamlin did exactly what history has taught him to do — he qualified on the pole, nailing a 28.694‑second lap at 171.381 mph to claim his second pole of the season and 45th of his career. Statistically, he looked poised to remind the field why he’s one of the toughest drivers on the egg‑shaped oval. But the results? Not quite what we’ve become accustomed to: Hamlin finished 7th in the first race of the playoffs, wondering whether the machinations of the Next‑Gen car just clipped another chapter from his Darlington dominance.

Hamlin calls out Next-Gen car’s dirty air at Darlington

After finishing the Southern 500 without the result he expected, Denny Hamlin unleashed a tirade with the current Next-Gen package. Asked about how the car handled compared to past Southern 500s, he admitted, “Yeah, dirty air is bad. I mean, I just would love to see some sort of fix to the car… we’re just wasting time right now trying to pass each other. It’s just so so difficult.” For Hamlin, who entered Darlington with five career wins at the track, the inability to convert speed into sustained race pace was a direct consequence of the aerodynamic disadvantage.

When pressed further about whether tire wear helped offset the dirty-air issues, Hamlin explained that even Darlington’s abrasive surface could not create the separation he needed. “We had tire wear, but the falloff was less than what we had at Richmond… maybe the left sides could use some more wear… but everyone’s just falling off at the same rate,” he said. His observation cut to the core of a growing criticism around the Next-Gen car: that uniformity in pace strips away opportunities for strategy and driver skill to shine, particularly on historic tracks that once rewarded both.

This critique carries added weight given Hamlin’s legacy. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran has now made the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in every full-time season of his career, yet he still remains without a championship. With 58 career wins and 45 poles, including two at Darlington, he stands as one of the most accomplished drivers never to seal the title. That context makes his frustration at Darlington sharper. The opening playoff race should be a chance to assert control, but instead, the Next-Gen car’s aero package left him battling the same limitations that have clouded his playoff runs before.

23XI racing delivers at Darlington while Hamlin balances ownership turmoil

If Hamlin’s own night ended in frustration, his 23XI Racing team left Darlington with reasons to be encouraged. Tyler Reddick survived a first-lap scare with Josh Berry to mount a charge for victory in the Southern 500. He came within a few car lengths of Chase Briscoe at the checkered flag, ultimately settling for second place.

The disappointment was evident as Reddick admitted, “For me, it just makes me sick. I feel like late in this race, especially the Southern 500, I always find myself second or third in the last green-flag run, trying to pass the leader.” Despite his frustration, the result gave him 53 points and a cushion of 35 over the playoff cutline, cementing his role as a strong postseason contender. Bubba Wallace backed up the effort with a sixth-place finish, making it one of the team’s strongest combined showings at Darlington.

For Hamlin, who has now qualified for the playoffs 19 times without securing a Cup Series title, the strong performance of his drivers was a reminder of the complex role he plays in NASCAR as a driver-owner. Alongside his own pursuit of a championship, his team continues to grow in stature while facing an ongoing legal battle with NASCAR. The lawsuit has cast uncertainty over the team’s future, yet its cars continue to perform at the highest level.

At Darlington, Hamlin’s night underscored the challenges of the Next-Gen car from behind the wheel, while Reddick and Wallace demonstrated that his organization is capable of thriving despite the turbulence surrounding it.