Denny Hamlin questioned NASCAR’s decision to use a competition caution during the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Rain affected the NASCAR Cup Series race, with drivers starting on Goodyear wet-weather tires before switching to slick tires around Lap 40.
Ryan Blaney won the rain-affected NASCAR race for his second straight victory at New Hampshire. Hamlin finished seventh and secured the No. 1 seed for the Chase. After the race, Hamlin discussed the NASCAR decision on his Actions Detrimental podcast.
He said teams could have been allowed to decide when to pit for dry tires, but he also explained why NASCAR’s choice was not necessarily wrong. His comments focused on the balance between racing strategy and pit-road safety.
Denny Hamlin Questions NASCAR Tire Decision
Hamlin said NASCAR could have let each team decide when to switch from wet-weather tires to slicks.
“Let the teams decide when they’re going to pit and change the dry tires. They should, yes.”
Hamlin’s comments came as the NASCAR Cup Series field moved through changing track conditions. Hamlin said green-flag pit stops were about to begin when NASCAR brought out the caution.
“They probably should have just let that green-flag sequence play out. There would have needed to be green-flag pit stops right about when they were throwing that caution. Green-flag pit stops were about to start.”
Why NASCAR Used the Competition Caution
Hamlin explained that NASCAR’s caution gave officials more time to improve the racing surface. The track had remained wet after earlier rain.
“And they used that caution to buy them some time to let that bottom groove dry a little bit. And so when we went back racing, we saw normal racing.”
NASCAR’s official race recap confirmed that drivers completed 40 laps on wet-weather tires before switching to slick tires. The race took place on New Hampshire’s 1.058-mile oval.
Hamlin said the main concern with letting teams make their own tire decisions was pit-road safety.
“Pit lane was wet, like genuinely really, really wet. So we come in, and we just slide right into a crew member and take his legs out.”
Hamlin Wants Teams to Make More Decisions
Despite the safety concern, Hamlin said NASCAR should give teams the chance to make strategic calls when conditions allow.
“I want to see you guys compete. I want to see crew chiefs have to make a decision. Am I going to keep my driver out on the wet tires? Am I going to bring them in and roll the dice?”
Hamlin also said NASCAR’s newer in-car dashboards could help teams manage wet conditions.
“I will say this, we have new dashes that would allow you to run a page for wet conditions. I think if pit roads dry, I think they do let this thing go.”
Still, Hamlin did not strongly condemn NASCAR’s decision.
“I mean, I hate being on the bandwagon here. You know, I don’t mind disagreeing, but I just didn’t see anything that was wrong.”
The NASCAR Cup Series continues to face questions over how teams and officials should handle changing weather, tires and safety during races.
NASCAR Cup Series Driver Denny Hamlin Raises Questions After New Hampshire Tire Decision