Denny Hamlin sets the record straight on NextGen’s evolution as Goodyear’s behind-the-scenes efforts keep gaining momentum

Denny Hamlin recently shared his thoughts on the evolution of the NextGen car, which replaced the Gen 6 model in the 2022 Cup Series season. The veteran driver believes Goodyear’s tire development has significantly enhanced the overall performance of NASCAR’s latest generation of stock cars.

Entering his 20th full-time season with Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin has established himself as one of NASCAR’s premier drivers. The #11 Toyota Camry XSE pilot boasts 74 victories across the sport’s top divisions, including 54 in the Cup Series. Despite his impressive resume and consistent success, the 44-year-old veteran is still searching for his first Cup Series championship.

The veteran driver was recently interviewed by Speedway Digest, where he was asked to share his thoughts on improvement in short-track racing since the introduction of the NextGen car.

“I think the tire has helped quite a bit, but it’s been an evolution. Like I talked about, when the disparity between the fastest car and the slowest car was much bigger when we started Next Gen, it was still tighter than when we had the Gen 6 car. Over time, it’s tightened up, but what the tire is doing is starting to spread that out in the long run. So, it’s bringing a lot of positives." said Denny Hamlin

Hamlin further stated that Goodyear is trying to introduce softer compound tires for different kinds of tracks, further cementing their endeavor to provide a better racing experience.

"Goodyear is testing themselves right now, trying to get softer at all of the tracks, which will be such a bonus. Every race track we’ve talked about this year and it being a better race, which it has been, you can attribute that to the changes we made to the tires and creating tire falloff," he added

In Racing matters, Denny Hamlin has had an underwhelming start to his 2025 Cup Series campaign. Through the first five regular-season races, the #11 driver has managed just two top-10 finishes in what has been a disappointing opening stretch.

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Denny Hamlin makes his stance clear on Homestead-Miami’s place in the Cup Series schedule

Homestead-Miami Speedway is widely regarded as one of the best tracks on the Cup Series schedule. The 1.5-mile oval has earned a reputation as a favorite among both drivers and fans. Until the 2020 season, the Florida-based track served as the Championship race venue for over 15 years.

Recently, Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts on the position of Homestead in the NASCAR schedule. The 44-year-old expressed that he wants the famed Oval to 'play a bigger factor' in the championship.

“I would certainly like to see it play a bigger factor in our championship. Whether it’s in the Playoffs, just a part of the championship race or round, or whatever it might be, I’d like to see it be a part of that as like we just talked about, the driver makes a bigger difference at this track compared to the car.”

Catch the veteran driver start the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, starting from P23 at Homestead-Miami. The live broadcast will exclusively be available on FS!, MRN, and SiriusXM at 3:00 PM ET.