Denny Hamlin is exhausted. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was at the top of his game through the first two playoff rounds. Despite the Roval wreck, Hamlin qualified third in the playoff standings for the upcoming Round of 8. The quest for a long-desired championship trophy should have energized this competitive driver. But the 42-year-old racer could not have been less thrilled at the prospect of future races.

Is age finally playing peek-a-boo with the Cup veteran? As it turned out, the culprit behind this mid-battle fatigue was NASCAR itself.

Denny Hamlin accused NASCAR of overlooking drivers for capitalistic gains

In their pursuit of increased viewership, NASCAR officials have experimented with race tracks and race formats over the years. But the governing body’s zeal for novelty may have taken it too far this time. They would be hard-pressed to find a driver looking forward to the next racing season.

On their part, they gave fan preference as the reason behind 2024’s questionable schedule. And Denny Hamlin only had one question to ask, “What fans are you hearing or seeing?”

The racing fandom has already voiced its opinion against the return of the Roval and the displacement of Daytona as the regular season finale. Moreover, the addition of a new road course and superspeedway track would increase the burden upon contesting drivers. This blatant apathy toward the main attraction of their racing events was intolerable for the #11 driver.

On his podcast Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin roared, “It has become abundantly clear to me that we have too many f**king races! We’re trying to fit this schedule into ‘it’s got to start here, and it’s got to end there’. And we’re trying to fit 38 races into what should be 32 at the most.” The truly troubling aspect of this decision was the ulterior motive behind the elongated season.

Hamlin revealed, “We’re never going backwards because NASCAR makes way too much money a week. It’s clear that we have this scheduling problem because we have just too many weeks. Way too many weeks!”

And as Hamlin admitted in a gut-wrenching confession, the cost is borne by the afflicted racers.

Watch This Story: NASCAR 2024: Elliott and Hamlin Unite Against Playoff Changes

Denny Hamlin divulged concerning side effects of NASCAR’s current racing schedule

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When Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing driver, Bubba Wallace, opened up on his struggle with depression, it provided a tormented insight into the overwhelming stress carried by racers in their grueling racing journey. NASCAR has one of the longest sporting seasons, from mid-February to mid-November. But for drivers and their teams, it becomes even longer with preparation, travel, and press conferences.

And now team owner and star racer Hamlin himself shed light on his deteriorating mental health with no time to recuperate between seasons. Continuing on his podcast, Hamlin explained, “For being in this series for 20 years, I just say it’s Valentine’s Day to a week before Thanksgiving. That’s our schedule. ‘When do you have off’? December. Because they start us right up with media first week of January.”

The crushing burden was evident in Hamlin’s distressing admission. “The schedule, it just takes its toll on everyone, it has taken its toll on my mental health clearly. I’m unwell when I look at the schedule.”

This solemn disclosure by one of the most talented and passionate racers should be enough of an indication of the gravity of the situation. Denny Hamlin’s alarming revelation proved it was time for NASCAR to prioritize their driver’s well-being.

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