Denny Hamlin, as a team owner looking to save money, supports the idea of adding more horsepower. Having said that, Hamlin believes NASCAR can never rethink its decision, and that people should abandon the horsepower race.
If there is one thing that NASCAR fans and drivers can agree on, it is that Cup cars should have more horsepower.
Cars with more horsepower are more difficult to drive. But increasing the horsepower of engines is easier said than done. Engines last longer when the horsepower is reduced, which saves teams money.
Cup Series cars have become less and less powerful over time. The main reason for this is safety, but there is another aspect of work. That is NASCAR's cost-cutting goal. Despite the continued reduction in power, many grid users have requested faster cars.
Meanwhile, as Denny Hamlin recently stated, an increase in overall power appears to be a distant dream for NASCAR. During a discussion on his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin also mentioned a Formula One feature that could be used to boost the power of these cars.
Denny Hamlin was asked how many drivers have approached NASCAR to request more horsepower. Though he claims that every driver has done it, Hamlin also believes that it's a lost cause because if NASCAR changes the horsepower, it will make engines less powerful.
“Stop asking NASCAR for more, they’re not going to give it to you,” Hamlin said.
“This is not the direction NASCAR wants to go. From the top down, they don’t want more horsepower because it costs more money. Because this is the cost cutting that goes into, and that’s the balance that we really need to think about, whether this is the right thing or not. But we will not go back to higher horsepower.
Denny Hamlin was not entirely pessimistic. In addition to the hybrid concept, Hamlin spread the word that NASCAR was investigating grooved tyres.
While grooved tyres will not directly increase horsepower, they will reduce track grip. This will make driving these cars more difficult.
“We will never see big horsepower back again unless there’s some sort of hybrid technology that gives us extra horsepower. But it won’t be from the combustion engine. They’re going to want to keep the cost down and keep pushing that down. So that’s where we’re going with it.”
If NASCAR isn't going to increase horsepower any time soon, fans and drivers should focus their efforts on more realistic improvements to the sport.
However, over the years, people had said the same thing about those who wanted to save North Wilkesboro Speedway.
North Wilkesboro is undergoing renovations and will be on the NASCAR schedule in 2023. So, it's not likely, but never say never.
Denny Hamlin is interested in acquiring a professional pickleball team
In terms of growth, Denny Hamlin is looking to expand his business portfolio. He recently admitted as much to reporters before the Daytona 500. He mentioned these ideas when asked about his plans for the now-current West Coast Swing (Fontana, Las Vegas, and Phoenix), which includes playing pickleball.
A rapidly growing sport, pickleball is a cross between tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
"I actually have been looking to purchase a stake in one of the professional teams. It’s really kind of exciting from my standpoint. It’s like tennis, only it’s better for my shoulders. Anything that’s better on my joints is a little bit better and I appreciate.
"It’s fun. All my golfing buddies, we really can’t golf in the winter time. It’s great for us to be able to do it indoors, which is a blast. We love doing it. We do it at least once a week.”