Chase Elliott is the most well-known driver among fans of NASCAR. Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott (Via IMAGO)
The 2024 season has been incredibly successful for NASCAR both on and off the track. After the release of NASCAR’s Netflix Documentary Full Speed and the thrilling Superspeedway races in the first two weeks, viewership has seen a significant boost. The TV ratings for the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series races have all experienced a major spike.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s winner of the Bristol race on Sunday acknowledged that the ratings will continue to rise in the upcoming races. He mentioned that NASCAR saw a 10% increase in ratings during the same period last season. Some attributed the drop in ratings to Elliott’s absence due to an injury. It is true that Elliott is the most popular driver among fans.
Hamlin implied that even if Elliott were to miss a couple of races, the current momentum in ratings for NASCAR would not be significantly affected. Therefore, the increase in ratings compared to last year will not solely be because of Elliott’s presence but also a reflection of the overall healthy state of the sport.
The horsepower of the cars has been a major topic of discussion in the NASCAR garage since the start of the Next-Gen era. Drivers have been requesting an increase in the HP limit to allow for more passing on the track with less traffic. Chase Elliott, the 2020 Cup champion who has experience in engine building due to his family’s racing background, shared his opinion on the issue.
Ahead of the Food City 500, he pointed out that the current regulations are causing engine builders to create less efficient and less durable engines. He called for an update in the regulations to address this issue. Hamlin supported Elliott’s words by sharing the interview on X.
Well, this interview, which I believe provides the most informative explanation for why we want “fall off,” still holds true today after what we witnessed yesterday. Take a listen👇🏼 [link to interview]
Hamlin has long been an advocate for increasing horsepower. The race at Bristol has proven that a combination of tire wear and increased horsepower can improve racing on short tracks. Now, it is up to NASCAR to make the final decision while considering the opinions of the drivers.
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