Talking on his podcast Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin the day after the Los Angeles Conflict pre-season particular occasion, Hamlin was outspoken about how laborious he felt impacts from rivals across the ¼-mile momentary oval observe.
“The bumper tags nonetheless damage,” he mentioned. “I didn’t really feel something softer, I do know that’s one thing that NASCAR could be testing is softer bumpers, we want that actually dangerous.
“When you begin bumper tagging within the corners, your HANS locks out and you’ll really feel a jar in your head. It is nonetheless fairly abrupt.”
Talking at Daytona 500 media day, the place automobiles will likely be bumpdrafting at excessive pace this weekend, Hamlin reiterated his considerations.
“I really feel okay in regards to the automotive itself,” mentioned Hamlin. “Actually, I do know they’re testing bumpers, they haven’t gotten something higher but than what we’ve received. In order that they’re nonetheless engaged on it so far as I do know.
“It jars you fairly good for certain. The hit is tremendous strong and particularly on the charge that guys had been laying into one another [at the Clash]. It was as laborious as something we do with out it crumbling for certain.”
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, Monster Vitality Toyota on hearth throughout apply
Picture by: Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Images
His different fear is the rocker field space, the place a muffler was fitted for the Conflict occasion that will likely be required once more for the Chicago Avenue Course race in the summertime. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs suffered a fireplace on this space in LA, and NASCAR’s senior VP of competitors Elton Sawyer defined “the set up wasn’t fairly the place it wanted to be”.
Hamlin additionally revealed on his podcast that he sought emergency oxygen from the pilots of his jet on the journey dwelling, as he felt lightheaded after inhaling fumes from inside his automotive after it sustained harm from door banging.
“Actually, the updates we’ve been given from NASCAR have been good,” he mentioned. “The factor is that what we expect occurred in my state of affairs is that there’s simply not very a lot room in that rocker field for the muffler, and once they put the muffler in there, there’s simply no clearance wherever.
“As quickly as you door bang with somebody or get some harm on the edges, it simply knocks it into the body rail which then roasts the door pad. Simply not sufficient tolerances round that space but.”
