Chris Gabehart, crew chief for Denny Hamlin, shared his candid thoughts on NASCAR’s current state of short-track racing following the race at Bristol, stating that while it was the best race possible under the circumstances, NASCAR still has work to do in improving the Cup Series’ short-track performance.
Earlier in the season, the spring race at Bristol offered excitement when Goodyear tires began wearing out after just 40 laps, creating one of the most thrilling short-track races in years. Hamlin capitalized on that situation, finishing fourth in the race and securing his spot in the Round of 12.
Reflecting on Saturday night’s race, Gabehart spoke about the curveball NASCAR threw at teams with tire expectations. “Everyone expected it to be a tire falloff-style race,” Gabehart explained via Frontstretch’s Trenton Worsham. “I wasn’t fully convinced, but we leaned in that direction when setting up the car. Had we known what the conditions would be, we would have made different setup choices.”
Despite the unexpected conditions, Hamlin executed well, navigating through the first two stages to put himself in a comfortable points position. Gabehart noted that at one point, the team felt they had a chance to win the race, or at least finish second, but ultimately Hamlin secured a solid fourth-place finish, managing his day as needed.
However, Gabehart didn’t shy away from expressing his frustration with the limitations of the Next Gen car, pointing out that the racing product, though decent, was hindered by the similarities among the cars. “The race was about as competitive as you could hope for at Bristol with this car,” Gabehart said. “But the cars are too easy to drive, too close in performance. The bottom, middle, and top grooves were all working, but the difference in speed between them was negligible. The cars and drivers don’t have enough ways to separate themselves.”
He bluntly concluded that unless significant changes are made to the Next Gen car, fans shouldn’t expect the kind of thrilling short-track racing Bristol was once known for. “The days of the old Bristol are over, that’s just the truth,” Gabehart remarked, indicating that this new era of NASCAR has fundamentally changed the dynamic of the sport’s iconic short tracks.
