Denny Hamlin Makes Shocking Claim After 23-Car NASCAR Wreck
Denny Hamlin made a shocking claim by saying that the 23-car wreck in Atlanta was the "best thing that ever happened" to the NASCAR Cup Series race. Notably, Hamlin was part of what triggered the massive pile-up after he made contact with John Hunter Nemechek on Lap 69.
The impact caused Nemechek to hit the wall, leading him to take out several other cars at the same time. Many big names from the field were affected by the incident, including Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, Joey Logano, and Kyle Larson.
Hamlin believed that the wreck created space between the cars, which wasn't present earlier. He said on his Actions Detrimental podcast:
Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 King's Hawaiian Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at Echo Park Speedway...
Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 King's Hawaiian Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at Echo Park Speedway on June 28, 2025 in Hampton, Georgia. More"That wreck was the best thing that happened to that race. There's no question about it whatsoever. What it did was it created space between the cars. We're not log-jammed two by two by two by two by two. There was space.
"There was only 15 cars, maybe, that were not damaged. If you look, all the passing that was done at the end of that race, it was created through space of the cars, and that's what we used to have on superspeedways is space to work."
He added:
"Atlanta cleared out the field to create the space to create great racing."
Chase Elliott went on to win the Atlanta race, while drivers like Corey LaJoie remarked that drivers were pushing like they were driving "bumper cars at Frankie's Fun park." Addressing the crash after watching the replay, he said:
"We see people pushing like dummies early, and then I just come in here and get pushed into it. I come out of the smoke and every corner on my Mustang was knocked off of it. Unfortunately, that was the end of my day.
"I don't know what we're doing. We just started the second stage. I don't know why we're pushing like we're damn bumper cars at Frankie's Fun park. That's not to be surprised. I think there's a lot of guys who don't make wise decisions driving these things on speedways."
Chase Briscoe added that he was not allowed to go back into the race. He said:
"Yeah, I don't know how bad our damage was. They were fixing it, and we were about ready to go, and I guess NASCAR came over there and saw that our chassis was broke or bent or something and were like, you can't go back out. So, kind of a waste of 30 minutes working on it. Just unfortunate night for our Bass Pro Shops Toyota."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Chase Elliott on his consistent season and staying true to himself: 12 Questions
Each week, The Athletic asks the same 12 questions to a different race car driver. Up next: Atlanta winner Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports, who is currently second in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings. This interview has been edited and condensed, but a full version is available on the 12 Questions podcast (which is now available on all major podcast platforms). 1. What was one of the first autographs you got as a kid, and what do you remember about that moment? I grew up around the racetrack, so I don't really remember getting many autographs. I really liked Tony (Stewart) a lot, but I don't ever remember asking for an autograph. I was a huge Travis Pastrana fan. I grew up riding dirt bikes and all that stuff — loved it. He was the guy. He was reinventing action sports. Anyway, he was racing at the Prelude (to the Dream, at Eldora Speedway) one year, and Dad (Bill Elliott) was running it. I took a hat and asked (Pastrana) to sign it. It was obviously a really cool thing for me, being a kid and really being a fan of his and him taking the time to do that. I appreciate it a bunch. And I've still got it somewhere. Advertisement 2. What is the most miserable you've ever been inside of a race car? In 2015, I ran a handful of Cup races in the No. 25. At Indy, I ran something over and it punctured one of the headers underneath the car. I obviously didn't know that, and I was hot. I was just miserable and got really sick there toward the end of the race. That was as bad off as I can remember — like getting out of the car and just not feeling good, having a hard time changing clothes. Just in a bad way. And then I found out the next week there had been a puncture, and ultimately, I was getting all kinds of fumes inside the car along with just being really hot. That combination was not fun, for sure. 3. Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about? I went through a period where I was pretty competitive with golf, and then I realized how bad I am, and since then, I've tried to just enjoy my outings. But occasionally, if you're going out golfing with some buddies or whatever, and you've got $100 on a game or something, it can be competitive — but it's in a much better place now than it was a year or two ago. 4. What do people get wrong about you? I don't really ask enough to care to know, honestly — and that's fine. I'm totally OK with that. You have the folks who are around you — your team and the people you go to battle with each week — and it's about showing up for them at the end of the day. I have really learned to put less and less stock in that. You do have some true fans out there who are going to support you and appreciate you on your good days and your bad days. Those folks have got your back all the time. Outside of that, the outside stuff just is what it is. I don't ask. I just try to do my thing and be me, and to make sure I'm showing up for the folks who show up for me, who are ultimately going to be in your life beyond all this stuff. That's important to me, and I don't go too far past that. Advertisement 5. What kind of Uber passenger are you, and how much do you care about your Uber rating? The way I think about that is I don't ever want to be in a position where I need a ride somewhere and have somebody not pick me up because I'm a bad Uber rider. Like, they look at your rating and they're like, 'I'm not picking up this guy.' I don't want to put myself in that position. And also, I'm not trying to cause a fuss in the back seat of ultimately some stranger's car. I just appreciate whoever it is taking me to wherever I'm going and hopefully get there safe and let him go on his way, and I'll go on mine. Do people recognize you in the Uber sometimes? Not often. Usually when I do Uber, I'm in a big city or something. Most of the time, NASCAR is not recognized in large cities. … But most places we go, we have rental cars or you drive or whatever. 6. This is a wild-card question. You have been remarkably consistent over and over, but that gets overshadowed by the lack of wins. But if you look at the stats, it appears you're getting more consistent each year. You still haven't finished outside the top 20 this entire season. How are you doing this? How are you more consistent than seemingly anybody? (Note: This interview was conducted before he won at Atlanta.) There's a certain component in being able to make a bad day all right that really matters as it pertains to being a real contender. Sometimes that element can be really hard to get. For some people, that element can be harder than the pace or the wins in some cases. For me, it's just a really good reminder that we have a really good team. I really do believe that. We have a really good team behind the wall, over the wall, and before we get to the racetrack each week. All that stuff ends up making a difference. Look, I understand the points and the wins and what it means. But there are times you can get into the playoffs and you might get caught up in a wreck or have a bad day. And for you to be able to really lean on your team and say, 'Hey, let's just dig a top-20 out of this' — that can be important. 7. This is the 16th year I've been doing these 12 Questions interviews, and I'm going back to an earlier one and seeing how your answer compares. In 2014, I asked what you'd do on a day off where you could do anything in the world, but you weren't allowed to do anything with racing. You said you'd go to a baseball or basketball game. Would you answer that the same way now? (Laughs.) I could see going to a baseball game, for sure. I don't know about a basketball game, but maybe. I love sports. Love watching sports. … I value time at home. That's high on my list for sure. Especially 12 years since that question of being gone on the weekends, it's nice to be home when you have the opportunity to enjoy a nice evening at the house. To sit around home and watch (an Atlanta) Braves game on the porch or whatever — that's a pretty nice night for me. Advertisement 8. Other than one of your teammates, name a driver whom you'd be one of the first people to congratulate them in victory lane if they won a race. (Ryan) Blaney, Bubba (Wallace) — just friends more than anything. Folks I've grown up racing with. But in a lot of cases, it's when you have relationships with guys who maybe haven't gotten that first win yet. Having been through that, I remember how important and special it was to me to see so many of my competitors and people I've admired come and congratulate me for my first win. It was such a great sign of, 'Hey, I've earned their respect enough for them to come tell me 'Good job.'' 9. How much do you use AI technology, whether for your job or daily life? Are you a ChatGPT guy? I'm not. I just don't find myself in many situations where I need it. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've messed with it, and honestly, probably the majority of those two or three times I've just been curious what it is. You could Google stuff before and get your answer if you're looking for information or whatever. So it's kind of just a streamlined Google, is kind of how I look at it. 10. What is a time in your life that you felt was really challenging, but you're proud of the way you responded to it? Professionally, the road to that first win was one. I think both myself and our team should be proud — because a lot of those guys are still here. There were a lot of tough days in that journey and that trek. Just keeping our heads down and showing up each week and continuing to believe and trust in the process we had. There's a lot to be proud of in that. 11. What needs to happen in NASCAR to take the sport to the next level of popularity? Man, if I had the answer to that, boy, we'd be selling it. But I don't know. I really don't have the answer. I don't think anyone does, truthfully. Anything from my perspective is just an opinion, and there's probably 150 different opinions in here. The No. 1 thing for me has always been a really good on-track product. When I boil the rest of it off and look at just what we have, you have to have a product that is enticing and exciting to watch. Because if not, then what are we selling? It has to be something people are drawn to watch — that's interesting to them, that gives them a sense of, 'Wow, I've never seen that before,' or, 'Wow, I can really get on board with that.' Advertisement We have elements of that here and there. There are elements that could be better. But if I was to give one answer — and it's broad and there's a lot of things that go into it — it's a good on-track product. 12. Each week, I ask a driver to give me a question for the next interview. Last week was your buddy Blaney. His question for you is: 'When are you ever going to get better at golf, and how many hours will you have to put in to get to my level?' (Laughs.) Wow! Wow. It's a valid question. It really is. I go through these little pockets where I get better and then I fall back apart again. For the record, I've hung with him a few times. I'm not as good as him. … I'd love to get out more and play and try to give him a run. But listen, I want to be able to go beat him. There's nothing like going to play somebody like him who's going to give you a bunch of crap for it and him have to give me strokes. That just sucks. So maybe one day. We'll keep chipping at it. The next interview I'm doing is with Shane van Gisbergen. Do you have a question I might be able to ask him? I don't know if he'll even answer this to the depth I would want, but what is the No. 1 habit that works for him in road-course racing that he feels like works against him in oval racing? (Top photo of Chase Elliott celebrating Sunday's win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Chicago Tribune
4 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
NASCAR Chicago Street Race puts city back on national TV stage
The annual NASCAR Chicago Street Race is upon us, and the forecast calls for a 50% chance of thunderstorms and 100% chance of flooding the airwaves with shots of The Bean, the beach, skyscrapers and deep-dish pizza. But as the street race enters its third and possibly final run through Grant Park this July Fourth weekend, it may be time to take stock of a hard to quantify but potentially invaluable benefit: a seemingly endless loop through the Loop on national TV. Beyond tens of thousands of expected attendees, Chicago's telegenic lakefront and skyline will once again serve as a live backdrop to race cars careening around an urban circuit for millions of viewers during the better part of Saturday and Sunday afternoon, creating one giant commercial for the city. By the end of the weekend, tiny Balbo Drive, which is at the center of the pop-up street course, may be as famous as Mr. Beef, the setting for the hit TV series 'The Bear.' 'When the NASCAR event goes well, and hopefully the weather will hold up, it gives the city a huge amount of attention, and that is very, very hard to replace,' said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. 'The city doesn't have enough money to ever spend on advertising to generate that type of reach.' Chicago is set to host the street race on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue. The Xfinity Series Loop 110, which features mostly younger up-and-coming NASCAR drivers, will be broadcast Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on the CW Network and local affiliate WGN-TV. The Grant Park 165 Cup Series race will air Sunday at 1 p.m. on cable channel TNT. While the street race navigated everything from Canadian wildfire haze to record rainfall during its first two years, it proved to be a very successful TV event for previous host network NBC. In 2023, the inaugural Cup Series street race averaged nearly 4.8 million viewers despite a torrential rain delay. Last year, the Grant Park 165, broken up by nearly two hours of programming filler during a steady summer rain, averaged 3.87 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. TNT is in the first season of a new seven-year rights agreement with NASCAR, carrying a five race 'in-season challenge' that began last weekend with the Quaker State 400 from Atlanta. The Chicago Street Race on Sunday is the second and biggest stop on the network's NASCAR tour. The cable network, which last hosted the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, averaged 1.6 million viewers for its return covering Saturday night's wreck-filled race in Atlanta, which included a massive 23-car pileup and a 25-minute rain delay. Navigating Chicago's streets may make for an even more unpredictable race. Last week, the city shut down Balbo and Columbus Drive earlier than planned to repair a massive pavement buckle caused by the recent heat wave. To cover the Chicago event, TNT began setting up Monday in Grant Park, bringing in a tech crew of 260 people, along with a 20-person production staff and 10 announcers, working out of six mobile units and an office/trailer. A broadcast studio will be located next to the start/finish line at Buckingham Fountain. TNT will employ 50 cameras around the track to capture the race and environs, including 10 robotic cameras, six in-car cameras, and a helicopter, drone and Goodyear Blimp for aerial shots of the most unique setting for any NASCAR race. 'These guys are going to be on the track, and they're going to navigate this very, very, very narrow racetrack,' said Shannon Spake, a NASCAR broadcast veteran who hosts the pre-race and post-race coverage for TNT. 'But this is the weekend for the city of Chicago to shine.' Early forecasts, however, predict the city might once again not be shining during Sunday's race, with a 50% chance of afternoon thunderstorms. If that happens, it will fall upon Spake and her colleagues to try to keep the audience tuned in during any delays, a challenging task at best, as Chicago Street Race viewers in 2023 and 2024 can attest. 'Rain fills are like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute,' Spake said. 'Sometimes there's no commercial breaks, you don't know who's coming up to the desk. It's very much like free falling, but it's so much fun.' Meanwhile, the CW, which is also new to the Chicago Street Race, is hoping for a ratings boost from Saturday's Xfinity Series broadcast, rain or shine. The CW Network began carrying NASCAR's 33-race Xfinity Series this year, the first of a seven-year agreement. The Loop 110 will air in Chicago on Nexstar Media-owned WGN-TV, which reclaimed its CW affiliation last year after a nearly decade-long hiatus. 'This is certainly a race that pops on the schedule,' said Brad Schwartz, a media veteran who was named president of entertainment for the CW network in November 2022, one month after it was acquired by Nexstar, the nation's largest local TV station ownership group. 'And so I would expect to see one of the highest ratings.' While NBC also carried the Loop 110, most Xfinity Series races last year aired on the network's USA cable channel. Ratings are up this year, with 14 of 16 Xfinity races reaching more than 1 million viewers, according to the CW Network. Launched in 2006, the CW has long aspired to be the fifth major broadcast network, banking initially on young adult scripted dramas like 'Gossip Girl' to build its audience. Under Nexstar, the CW has been beefing up its sports programming with everything from LIV Golf and ACC college football to WWE wrestling and PBA Bowling. Sports now represent 40% of the CW's programming schedule, Schwartz said. 'In the past two years, we've gone from zero hours of sports to 500 hours of sports (per year),' Schwartz said. 'We've gone from zero viewers ever watching sports on the CW to now we've had over 40 million people watching sports on the CW.' WGN-TV, which was an inaugural affiliate of the CW Network when it launched in 2006, has seen strong ratings for the Xfinity Series this year. Seeking to leverage the hometown connection, it is heavily promoting the Chicago Street Race this week, including on-air driver interviews, promotions and a perfunctory Chicago hot dog taste test. While it is the first year for both TNT and the CW to carry the Chicago Street Race, there is some question as to whether it will be the last. This year's race completes an inaugural three-year agreement with NASCAR. The deal, struck during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration, includes a two-year renewal option. DePaul partners with Spire Motorsports ahead of NASCAR Chicago Street RaceNASCAR is reportedly in negotiations to hold a street race in San Diego next year, which may be in addition to Chicago, or perhaps will replace the Chicago one. Mayor Brandon Johnson didn't answer directly when asked Tuesday if he wants the NASCAR race to continue beyond this weekend, saying 'it's about having conversations to make sure we're getting the most out of this experience.' Johnson also nodded to the rain that has plagued recent editions of the Chicago Street Race. 'First of all, we're just hoping this year there's good weather,' he said at a City Hall news conference. 'It looks like Saturday we're going to be OK. Sunday is a little iffy, a little cloudy.' Last year, the street race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm. The nationally televised Cup Series race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago, according to a companion report. If the city loses the street race, filling the marketing void won't be easy, Calkins said. 'The only way you replace this event is with another big event,' Calkins said. 'And big events aren't easy to come by, and they can be very expensive and complicated for a city to put on.'
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Track Testing Revology Cars' 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback Cobra Jet
The Revology Cars 1968 Mustang Cobra Jet hitting over 100 mph at the track Revology Cars Revology Cars in Orlando, Florida, has made quite a name for itself over the past decade. What started in 2014 as one man's passion to combine classic Ford Mustang design with modern automotive technology has become a full-fledged automaker with a 26-station assembly line, multiple sub-assembly processes, and advanced in-house engineering to ensure the components meet Revology Cars' specific needs and high standards for performance, premium materials, and safety. The company has also produced over 300 'new' 1960s Ford Mustangs. My first experience driving a Revology Cars 1968 Mustang GT 2+2 Fastback, last fall on the public streets north of San Diego, was recently eclipsed by piloting the automaker's 1968 Fastback Ford Cobra Jet model. The Cobra Jet is a recent addition to Revology Cars' catalog of customer choices. And unlike the previous 460 horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 Fastback I drove on the street, this Performance Red Cobra Jet featured the company's more powerful, supercharged 710 horsepower V8 engine. And I drove it at a race track. The Cobra Jet's classic lines conceal a carefully engineered premium driving experience Revology Cars Circuit Florida, a new race facility located about 25 minutes from Disney World, features a 1.7-mile road course, though the track already has approval to expand to 2.5-miles, plus add a skidpad and off-road course. It was a convenient location to test the Cobra Jet under controlled circumstances, and between Circuit Florida's flawless road surface, variable speed turns, and long straightaways, I had everything I needed to explore this Ford Mustang's performance limit in a safe-yet-engaging atmosphere. The Cobra Jet's modern hardware let it confidently navigate Circuit Florida Revology Cars Engaging is really an insufficient term in this case. With the Cobra Jet's 710 horsepower V8, 6-speed manual transmission, power rack-and-pinion steering, upgraded suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes, the car is ready and willing to thrill its driver in a track setting, in a way no traditional muscle car ever could. But its starting price of $322,000 and its ability to hit well over 100 mph on Circuit Florida's main straight kept me extremely focused while driving it through the track's 10 turns. Driving the Cobra Jet at the track was among the best driving experiences I've had Revology Cars And yet, despite the triple-digit speeds and third-of-a-million dollar values in play, I could not suppress the giggles and perma-grin plastered on my face as I drove this gorgeous vehicle in a track environment. Tom Scarpello, Revology Cars' founder and CEO, has endeavored to create an uncompromised modern driving experience, despite the 60-year-old starting point these Ford Mustangs represent. And he's succeeded. I thought I knew this from my seat time last fall, but leveraging the Cobra Jet's more powerful drivetrain in a track environment illustrated the level of engineering Revology Cars has mastered. The Cobra Jet's interior looks vintage but features modern tech and premium materials Revology Cars In this circumstance you could just goose the Cobra Jet's throttle on the straights, revel in the Coyote V8's deep exhaust roar, and call it a day. But the car's precise steering, confident brakes, and controlled body roll beg for more sophisticated driving, and if you oblige the Revology Cars Cobra Jet will astound you. Despite enjoying myself immensely I never got close to this version of the classic Ford Mustang's limits, which is just the way I like it when driving someone else's six-figure automobile. A tour of Revology Cars' factory confirmed the advanced manufacturing the automaker uses Katherine Brauer Revology Cars Factory = Willy Wonka For Ford Mustangs To get a first-hand look at how Tom Scarpello's team of artisans create these wonderful vehicles I drove the Mustang Cobra Jet from Circuit Florida to Revology Cars' factory in Orlando. And to be clear, the car was just as accommodating on public roads as it was hitting triple-digit speeds at a race track. Once at the factory Tom walked me through the assembly process, pointing out his latest construction enhancement: a structural adhesive bonding process that now supplement's his team's welding process, providing body and chassis rigidity the original Ford Mustang's engineers could only dream about. Tom Scarpello founded Revology Cars to create the ultimate version of Ford's original Mustang Katherine Brauer Additional recent upgrades include more comfortable seats and improved window regulators, the latest examples of the constant engineering improvements Revology Cars has been practicing since it started building modern-day versions of Ford's iconic vehicle. It's this level of mechanical detail, along with Revology Cars's wide range of configuration options and dedicated customer support before, during, and after purchase, that has earned the automaker a loyal following, several repeat customers, and an ever-full order bank of car fans seeking the ultimate version of Ford's Mustang. At home on both the street and the track, this Cobra Jet is ready to deliver driving thrills Revology Cars
