Denny Hamlin explains why Ford didn’t run out of fuel quickly in the NASCAR Cup series race in Nashville. The race, which took place last Sunday, turned into a fuel conservation battle due to the multiple overtime periods that extended the race beyond the scheduled laps. Several cars, which were contenders for the win, ran out of fuel. However, Hamlin managed to navigate through the chaos and secure the victory.
During a discussion about the race results on his podcast, Hamlin, who drives the No.11 Toyota for JGR, acknowledged that TRD and Chevy cars have a significant advantage over Ford cars in terms of power. He stated that this advantage allowed Joey Logano to save more fuel and ultimately secure the win. Hamlin’s admission about the Toyota’s power advantage may not have been a wise move, as it gives his rivals the opportunity to better strategize against them in future races.
Hamlin also highlighted that Logano’s decision to run slowly in the final laps before the overtime drama played a role in his final surge for the win. By saving fuel and staying among the top 15, Logano positioned himself well for the last push. This further emphasized the advantage that Toyota cars had over Fords.
On lap 153 of the race, Hamlin made contact with Logano, causing the Ford driver to lose significant speed and drop to 15th place. To address any potential issues between them, Hamlin sent a text message to Logano during a mid-race delay. However, Logano was not ready to let the incident pass.
Before the delay, Logano expressed his frustration with the incident by making a rude gesture towards Hamlin and venting his frustration over the team radio. It remains to be seen if this altercation between the two drivers will continue to impact their future races.