The NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa on Sunday drew mixed reactions due to lackluster action near the front during its final third. Denny Hamlin expressed strong dissatisfaction with the tire compound used for the event, blaming it for the limited passing opportunities and dull competition. This race brought renewed attention to tire performance issues amid ongoing concerns about how tire choices affect racing dynamics.

Hamlin, the driver of the No. 11 car, highlighted how the tires failed to fall off enough for effective passing, leading to a situation where the race leader could maintain position with minimal throttle. He compared the problem to similar tire issues seen at tracks like Martinsville, where overtaking is notoriously difficult.

Lack of Tire Degradation Stifled Racing Excitement

The rigidity of the tires used at Iowa resulted in very little grip fade over long runs, which made fuel strategy more critical than driver skill for gaining positions. In the end, early-stage cautions allowed many front-runners to conserve fuel, further reducing competitive variability and leading to a relatively uneventful victory for William Byron, who extended his lead atop the NASCAR standings.

Hamlin elaborated on the tire condition, noting:

“It’s the yo-yo effect you see at Martinsville. No one can pass, You can’t pass the 30th-place car. That is the problem we’re talking about and that is what we have to fix. It’s that the leader looks like superman because he can run half throttle and just hold everyone off. Chase Briscoe at Pocono.” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

He stressed that this tire characteristic causes dominant leaders to maintain large gaps easily, reducing mid-race action.

Concerns About Tire Hardness and Compound Selection

In addition to criticizing the lack of falloff, Hamlin suggested the tires were too hard for the track conditions, requiring substantial downforce to achieve grip. According to Hamlin, only the cars at the front have enough aerodynamic pressure to effectively use these tires, leaving the rest of the field struggling for traction.

“That means the tire is so hard that it just takes dramatic amount of downforce to push that tire into the racetrack and get it to grip. Nobody but the first few cars have enough air to do that.” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

Hamlin admitted uncertainty about whether Goodyear or NASCAR has the final decision on which tire compound is selected for each race, but he emphasized that the current decision-making process clearly needs improvement after this disappointing performance.

“I don’t know. I can’t really say who makes the call on that, I do know that they had a tire that dropped off 2.5 seconds in 25 laps. So you would think like there’s somewhere in this there’s a happy medium to be had. How do you go from nothing to 2.5 seconds? Somewhere in here is a mix, right?” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

He also described the tire used as unsuitable for Iowa, explaining it failed to degrade before damaging itself.

“And even if you have a tire, hell this one corded in 60 laps. So it had zero dropoff until it cords. So it’s just, I don’t know. This is not a good tire combination for this track.” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

Implications for NASCAR’s Midwest Fanbase and Car Performance

Hamlin raised a broader concern regarding NASCAR’s limited presence in the Midwest, noting that many fans at Iowa travel significant distances to attend races. He underscored the importance of offering an engaging product to those fans, which was lacking this time around.

Moreover, Hamlin called for fundamental adjustments to the race cars themselves. He argued the current attitude and setup of the cars contribute heavily to racing frustrations, especially in traffic where close pursuit too often results in contact and “plowing.”

“You want to make it better, for sure, Until we get the front of these racecars on the ground instead of a foot off the ground we’re going to continue to have the same problems, and that is when we get behind someone we’re just going to plow.” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

The driver insisted changes in aerodynamic balance are necessary, specifically reducing underbody downforce and increasing overbody downforce to improve how cars handle in traffic.

“The attitude of the cars are wrong. It’s wrong, it’s wrong, it’s wrong, it’s wrong, please fix it, it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Fix the attitude of the car, it’ll make them better in traffic. More overbody, less underbody. If you want the same amount of downforce put it on the overbody, take it off the underbody. God dangit, it drives me crazy.” —Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver

Looking Ahead: The Need for Tire and Car Adjustments

Denny Hamlin’s strong criticism draws attention to ongoing challenges with tire compounds and car setups impacting race quality in NASCAR’s premier series. The dissatisfaction voiced after Iowa’s event suggests that both Goodyear and NASCAR officials may need to revisit tire selections and vehicle aerodynamics to enhance competition and excitement, especially on short tracks and in less frequently raced regions.

For fans and participants alike, the hope is that these issues receive prompt attention before upcoming races, as improving tire grip characteristics and car attitude is likely to produce closer racing and more thrilling overtakes, fulfilling the expectations of both drivers and loyal followers in the Midwest and beyond.