Denny Hamlin claims he has 'no clue' what he's getting into at the reprofiled Atlanta Motor Speedway

Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing team driver, has not tested the newly reconfigured and repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway. He is uncertain about how the surface will behave.

Speaking about reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway ahead of the Cup Series race, Hamlin said:

“I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know if we are going to be drafting. I don’t think we are going to be tight pack racing. It’s not going to be Daytona or Talladega, but are they going to be grouped together, how are you going to build your car, all of those things are going to be a question mark and I have no clue what I’m getting into.”

Watch the video here:

The 1.54-mile D-shaped oval track will debut on a new racing surface with 28 degrees of banking at the turn. The corner width has been narrowed to 40 feet. While the front stretch was wider, it increased from 55 to 61 feet and the backstretch was reduced from 55 to 42 feet in width.

Horsepower has been reduced to tracks at 510 with a seven-inch rear spoiler. While on all other tracks, teams use 670 horsepower and a four-inch rear spoiler.

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Denny Hamlin didn’t perform as per expectations in the 2022 season

Driving the No. 11 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin is yet to leave his mark in the 2022 Cup Series. In the first four races, the veteran driver has barely been able to crack the Top-10. He has faced several instances of disappointment and bad luck.

But this is something Hamlin expected before the start of the 2022 season. Admitting to his poor stint this season, Hamlin said:

“I mentioned before the season started that I believe everyone’s average finish is going to go down three or four points in general. I think that you have a year where you can be 10 or 11, you are going to be up front – as long as you get reasonable stage points – you are going to be contending for a regular-season championship.”

The NASCAR Cup Series fifth race will hit the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 on Sunday, March 20. Meanwhile, the 41-year-old will be looking to perform better than his last races at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway.