The NASCAR world is currently abuzz with fervent discussions following the unveiling of the 2024 Cup Series season schedule. The 2024 season’s schedule brings about some unexpected changes. And it has managed to unite two prominent drivers, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin, in their candid opinions about the additions. What was once a rivalry has transformed into a united front in sharing their concerns about the addition of two wild-card races in the playoffs for the 2024 season.

The most significant revelation in the 2024 Cup Series season schedule was the replacement of Texas and Darlington in the playoffs with two wild-card races. Atlanta Motor Speedway will now serve as the opening race in the first playoff round, immediately followed by Watkins Glen. However, during the media conference preceding the playoff elimination race at Charlotte, Elliott spoke about the concerns of having two drafting-style tracks in the playoffs.

Chase Elliott backs Denny Hamlin’s assessment about the addition of Atlanta to next year’s playoff schedule

Chase Elliott, known for his measured approach to controversial matters, was prompted to share his perspective on these changes. While he usually refrains from diving into contentious topics, he didn’t hesitate to align himself with Denny Hamlin’s viewpoint. Hamlin had astutely pointed out that these changes seemed to be testing drivers’ luck rather than their skills.

This is especially evident with the inclusion of two drafting-style tracks in the playoffs, Atlanta and Talladega. The Hendrick Motorsports star echoed Hamlin’s sentiment, firmly believing that the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s assessment hit the mark.

During the conference, Matt Weaver asked Elliott to share his opinion on the addition of Atlanta and Watkins Glen in next year’s playoff schedule. Elliott remarked, “I think he’s (Denny Hamlin) pretty spot-on. They don’t ask my opinion, and I don’t really want them to ask my opinion. I can get behind what Denny said about that because it does put you in a tough spot. And there’s so much out of your control when you go to those speedway races.”

“Watkins Glen to me isn’t as much of a wild-card race,” he added. “But certainly adding another speedway race… that Talladega round has always been the craziest round and the most unpredictable around. You don’t know what’s going to happen any week. But certainly, that is a bigger question mark than others. I don’t necessarily love that personally. But it’s not my decision and we’re all going to have to deal with it when it comes time. It’s kind of just there.”

Denny Hamlin has always been candid about pointing things out that don’t work in the favor of NASCAR. Recently, he pointed out another major issue with NASCAR apart from the addition of new tracks in the playoffs for next year.

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Denny Hamlin points out the exact problem that has been causing NASCAR’s short-track woes

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Denny Hamlin, a veteran driver-owner, has long been vocal about his dissatisfaction with NASCAR’s short-track package. And his concerns only continue to grow. Hamlin’s skepticism extends to the addition of Iowa to the schedule for the upcoming season. He firmly believes that racing at Iowa won’t bring significant changes compared to other short tracks unless substantial alterations are made.

Hamlin pointed out, “We’ve continued to cut horsepower. The grip on the car at short tracks is a byproduct of having wider tires and less horsepower. In a cost-cutting measure, we’ve continued to cut horsepower, which has led to shifting and it’s led to less power and more grip on the short tracks, which has made the racing bad.”

The 2024 Cup Series season promises to be a rollercoaster of unpredictability. Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin’s shared concerns about the wild-card races and the state of short-track racing highlight the need for open dialogue and consideration of driver feedback. NASCAR fans and experts alike eagerly await how these changes will shape the upcoming season. And whether the voices of these two influential drivers will influence the sport’s future direction.

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