The 2026 Daytona 500 was supposed to be the biggest adrenaline rush of the season. But instead, fans watched drivers tiptoe around the track in half-throttle fuel-saving mode. What should’ve been a white-knuckle superspeedway showdown turned into what many called a “front-stretch parade” until the final miles. And after Denny Hamlin openly demanded NASCAR address what he sees as a growing Next Gen problem, veteran insider Kenny Wallace has jumped in with a bold (and honestly explosive) proposal of his own. According to Wallace, fixing Daytona might require going backward before the sport can move forward.

Denny Hamlin and Kenny Wallace want radical change at Daytona

Before the dust even settled from the 2026 Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin made it clear that NASCAR can’t afford another fuel-saving snoozer. Venting his frustration, Hamlin floated a bold idea:

“One of the suggestions that we talked about just a few days ago is come here next year in the Clash. Let a few of us come up with a package that we think you won’t see any fuel saving, you’re just going to see people hanging on. That would be the only fix.”

In his vision, NASCAR would debut the brand-new superspeedway package at Daytona International Speedway during the Clash. Yes, you heard that right. Denny wants The Clash be shifted back to Daytona from Bowman Gray, essentially turning the exhibition race into a full-speed R&D session. Instead of guessing what might work, teams would test a no-fuel-saving package in real conditions, with real racing, and real risks. If it worked? NASCAR could finally reclaim the Daytona intensity fans expect.

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But veteran insider Kenny Wallace didn’t just agree. But, in classic Kenny Wallace fashion, he escalated. He offered a fix that’s immediate, dramatic, and, according to him, free:

“My fix is not the perfect fix. However, it won’t cost anybody any money. What you do is you go to Talladega and with 25 laps to go, you bring everybody down pit road. A non-competition pit stop.”

Wallace’s plan is simple and wild: impose a scheduled, non-competitive pit stop late in the race, fuel everyone to the brim, remove fuel strategy entirely, and force the field to race flat-out to the finish. No coasting. No half-throttle trains. Just chaos, momentum battles, and the superspeedway drama fans pay to see.

Because at this point, one thing is clear. The Daytona 500 needs its fuel-saving problem fixed, or this controversy will only get bigger moving forward. And the Daytona 500 race more boring. As NASCAR fans, we definitely don’t want that.

Denny Hamlin’s perfect reaction to Reddick’s triumph

When Tyler Reddick muscled his way to the checkered flag after leading just one single lap, it became one of the most dramatic Daytona 500 finishes in recent memory. And for Denny Hamlin, the co-owner of 23XI Racing, the moment was special enough to sum up in just two words.

Moments after Reddick sealed the win in the No. 45 Toyota, Hamlin took to X with a short, powerful message: “Proud owner.” Alongside the post was a photo of him celebrating with his Daytona 500-winning driver.

The victory marked Reddick’s fifth win with 23XI but his first since the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead in 2024. It also solidified the rapid rise of the organization that Hamlin and Michael Jordan launched in 2021. What started as a single-car team has grown into a strong three-car lineup, with Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst as full-time teammates and Corey Heim running part-time.

For Hamlin, who still competes for Joe Gibbs Racing, the day was bittersweet. He finished 31st after a difficult race. Still, Reddick’s dramatic charge to victory ensured the day ended on a high note for Hamlin as a whole.

As the confetti settles and the celebrations fade, Hamlin, Reddick, and the entire 23XI camp now shift their attention to the next challenge: the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. The momentum is real! And Hamlin’s two-word message makes it clear just how much this win means.