Denny Hamlin calls for NASCAR to make one change following race at Iowa

The first-ever Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway could have gone better for Denny Hamlin. It was a struggle all night for the NASCAR veteran. Even though it was a less-than-ideal result, Hamlin had good insight on what should be done to the Iowa track in the future.

Leading up to the race weekend, the talk was about the partial, uneven repave. The runs were paved in order to add grip in areas of the track that were wearing out. Turns out, the track did a great job of providing a great platform for racing.

It was a short-track race that felt like an intermediate track. Cars were going fast, there was passing, moments of three-wide racing, and the NBC broadcast made it feel like the big event that it was. Not to mention, a sold-out crowd.

After the race, Denny Hamlin was asked about what NASCAR and Iowa Speedway could do to improve for a potential race next season.

“I think there would be probably nothing but positives if you did repave the very top because it would have a little more grip yet and it would force us to want to go even higher,” Hamlin said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “Which would then allow cars to run the middle or the bottom to get away in clean air. So, I think finishing the paving job probably would net a better result next year.”

The racing was great. Even with the turns being repaved unevenly, things went smoothly. Drivers came and went. Fast cars were able to pass. Both Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson moved up through the field from the back to the front.

Denny Hamlin has nightmare day at Iowa Speedway

Since Denny Hamlin was a Cup Series rookie in 2006 when Iowa Speedway was finished being built, he had never raced at the track. Prior to this weekend, only the Truck and Xfinity Series had raced at Iowa.

Drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who had prior success at Iowa took to it quicker than drivers like Hamlin. Of course, Ryan Blaney won the race and now has wins in all three national series at Iowa.

Denny dropped like a rock early in the first stage and went almost all the way to the back. A little tire strategy later in the race allowed Hamlin to get back into the top-10. His car was lacking speed and had issues turning, so it didn’t really matter.

In the end, Denny Hamlin finished P24. It did seem like he enjoyed the track even if he had a miserable day racing there. More of a car issue than a track issue.