Denny Hamlin doesn’t want to hear complaints from fans regarding NASCAR’s qualifying format any longer.
There’s been a vocal movement wishing for NASCAR to return to the old system for qualifying, as some fans believe their favorite driver is placed unfairly due to the new group system, but Hamlin explained his thoughts on the matter, and why drivers prefer it this way.
“This is the most fair way to do it. Stop complaining,” Hamlin said, via the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast. “By the way, whoever your driver got screwed this week because of the A and the B, they reaped the benefits of that last week. You weren’t complaining — you didn’t say s— then. What I’m saying is, it works out. All the drivers would rather, I’m telling you, they would rather do it this way, to only race the cars in their group, because the conditions are the same.
“If we go to Richmond and you did not have the A on the outside, the B on the inside, it’s going to be all A cars in the top five, and all the B are going to be six through ten, because it’s just — it’s such an advantage to have your tires cooler, and I’m telling you, the way they’re doing it now is the most fair way to do it. It just looks wonky on TV.”
Straight from a driver’s mouth, it’s evident Hamlin and his peers agree qualifying in groups is the way to do it. Still, Hamlin can see why it’s not a slam dunk with fans, and he tried to come up with a happy medium on the matter.
“I think the only way they can make it maybe different, is the A should be on the outside, and the B on the inside, because it would look better on a graphic on TV,” Hamlin added. “Because right now, like, the fast qualifier of A, is always on the pole position, so he’s on this column, and all the rest of the A are on this column. So, it looks messed up. If they just put them all over here, and said, ‘Okay, A’s going out.’ They’re all on the inside lane, it’s going to look right on TV. If someone in B sets the fastest time, slide him over. Slide him over to that A spot, everyone else just moves down. I think it just looks funky on TV.
“It’s the most fair way to do it, I promise you, this is the most fair way to do it. Sometimes, I guarantee you, that your favorite driver is going to reap the benefits of being A or B on any given day, and they’re going to get a better starting spot than what they should’ve gotten with this format. It all works itself out in the wash.”
