Denny Hamlin comments on Brickyard 400 track conditions, dirty air
Denny Hamlin has extensive experience in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but never in the Next Gen car.
The last three Cup Series races held at IMS have been in the infield road course, meaning Sunday’s race will be new for everyone. Hamlin did take part in a test at IMS a couple months ago and reported his findings to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.
“It all felt the same to me, the dirty air was really the only thing that was different,” Hamlin said Saturday. “We didn’t have that much traffic during the test, so the car felt the same when it was by itself. … It will be extremely difficult [to pass].
Hamlin has had a Hall of Fame career, but one notable achievement missing is a Cup Series victory at IMS. In 15 prior Cup Series starts on the IMS oval, Hamlin has tallied eight top 10s and finished inside the top-three on three occasions. He’s been close, but never gotten it done at IMS. Hamlin admitted on this week’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast that he wants to “win bad” at IMS.
“I want to win it bad,” Hamlin said. “I also know that I need to control what I can control, do my job on the racetrack, off the racetrack. This is gonna be a race that can be frustrating. You can have a very, very fast car and if you put that fast car in 10th place, it’s gonna be tough. It’ll be tough to come back from that. It comes from executing right when you unload to the checkered flag. I just got to make sure I do my job to the best of my ability and if we do, we’re gonna have a great shot. But I wanna win bad.”
Tyler Reddick starting on pole next to boss Denny Hamlin: ‘If I tear it up, he’s paying for it’
Hamlin will start on the front row alongside pole-sitter and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick. Hamlin, of course, is co-owner of 23XI. It’s an interesting position for both drivers to be in, but Reddick has already made it clear: If he tears up his No. 45 Toyota racing the No. 11 car, Hamlin’s paying for it.
“If I tear it up, he’s paying for it,” Reddick said with a laugh. “It’s his car. I try not to use that against him, but I honestly feel like we race each other very fair but hard. I’ve learned a lot about racing from him as well, so I feel like we’ve got a good level of mutual respect and trust with one another. But obviously, when we come to a place like this, I know how bad he wants to win here. I know how bad I want to win here.
The post Denny Hamlin comments on Brickyard 400 track conditions, dirty air appeared first on On3.
