Denny Hamlin doesn't believe the racing at Indy will be as good as Kansas after tire test

Recently Denny Hamlin and others took part in a tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the Brickyard 400 this season. The NASCAR veteran is unsure about how good the racing is going to end up being.

Denny Hamlin noted that NASCAR and Goodyear are bringing a softer right-side tire. They are also messing with the gauge of the tires on the left side. However, there are issues with Indy that have always been there.

For instance, the narrowness of the track. Without multiple groove, this Next Gen car gets hung up in dirty air too easily. Here is what Hamlin had to say to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports about the tires and potential racing.

“I thought Indy was about what you would expect,” Hamlin explained. That means difficulty passing. “I certainly think that qualifying will be a big deal. I think that in my opinion, it’s too late to do this now, but if we could slow those cars down about 10 miles an hour in the corner, and I know we’re already running really slow, but you’re wanting to see Indy-type race, right? Where there’s drafting, slingshot passes at the end of the straightaway.

“My fear is, we’re just going to be the second place car or third place car whatever it’s going to be is going to be in such a big wake that they’re not going to be able to make up that distance down the straightaway. So, certainly, I think it will be a track position type race, just because the corner speeds were on the edge of not having enough grip there.”

When asked if it would race like other intermediates, Denny Hamlin did not mince words.

“No way, it’s not going to be a Kansas or anything like that. We’ve said it a million times, the wider the track the better the racing is, and that is the narrowest of narrow tracks.”

As far as the tires themselves, Hamlin was optimistic. He believes that Goodyear and NASCAR are heading in the right direction.

“It seems like they’re creeping up on it. They’re going with a softer tire for Indy on the right side, a heavier gauge tire on the left. So, we’re creeping into it. Certainly at Iowa, they’re going to hedge on the side of being cautious with that new asphalt. There certainly sounds like from the drivers that were over there they could take quite a bit more softer tire for the future. They’re gonna want to see how this all plays out the first time.”

The Brickyard 400 is returning this year. After lackluster races on the Indy Road Course, the oval makes its triumphant return. But will it be worth the wait?