Denny Hamlin makes suggestions to NASCAR regarding the implementation of penalties for exceeding track limits in the future. The races at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) last weekend saw numerous penalties being issued to NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series drivers. This led drivers to criticize what they see as counterproductive regulations.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Action Detrimental, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin expressed his concerns about the unfairness of track limits in the esses section of COTA. He emphasized the need for NASCAR to exercise common sense when penalizing drivers, especially in situations where visibility is compromised, such as during race restarts. Most penalties were applied in these circumstances.
Hamlin proposed that NASCAR allow drivers more flexibility when it comes to track limits in the esses section, considering the challenges they face due to the high-speed nature of the section. It remains to be seen whether NASCAR will take this into account for future races at COTA. However, not everyone in the NASCAR community shares the same viewpoint.
While track limits at COTA have sparked controversy, many fans and experts believe they have contributed to cleaner and more competitive races. Former Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick recently expressed his support for these track limits on his podcast, Harvick’s Happy Hour. He suggested that NASCAR should implement similar regulations for all road course races to enhance the competitiveness of the sport.
Harvick further emphasized that strict track limits would require drivers to be more cautious and prevent them from gaining unfair advantages by going off track. He believes that NASCAR should improve its enforcement systems to implement these regulations in the near future.