Short tracks, especially Martinsville, have presented a challenge in recent memory when it comes to the ability to make passes. For anyone who watched the Martinsville race this weekend, saw glaring comparisons to last year’s races at the paperclip. Drivers sounded off, asking for a change to fix the racing product.
Denny Hamlin didn’t hold punches after the race on Sunday at Martinsville, saying that “this is the new NASCAR where these cars cannot pass.”
"This is the new NASCAR where these cars cannot pass. You just get out front, don't mess up on pit road, don't mess up your strategy and you'll win."
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) April 16, 2023
Hear more from Denny Hamlin after the Cup race at Martinsville:
(via @TreyLyleVT) pic.twitter.com/a8mGJPkC3J
Hamlin would then go on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast by Dirty Mo Media and say that the savings on the engine bill didn’t justify the on track product.
What should NASCAR fix with the NextGen car? DH breaks it down 👇
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) April 17, 2023
*NEW* Actions Detrimental with @dennyhamlin is out now!
Apple: https://t.co/ejl1WcfRzt
Spotify: https://t.co/1KmKITYPi2
Web: https://t.co/RBrcLQLQMz pic.twitter.com/pdnVQINEMj
Kevin Harvick has his ideal horsepower number….
1000 HP spec. Order it… https://t.co/HAaR0cNC8K
— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) April 17, 2023
Kevin says if the fans don’t like the product, it doesn’t matter if they save money on the engines.
Jason isn’t a Hamlin fan, but agrees with him 100%.
Bob says the drop in ratings is related to the on track product, and not Chase Elliott’s absence.
Mike thinks passing at Martinsville has always been difficult.
Bob Pockrass, reporter for Fox Sports, tweets this information from Hendrick President Jeff Andrews.
Jeff Andrews, president of Hendrick, said any changes for 2024 need to be made now b/c their parts supply chain would need to start production/planning now to increase horsepower. Would need different pieces b/c currently made to handle two races at current horsepower. https://t.co/77FsPQuEw3
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 17, 2023
Jeff Gluck, reporter for The Athletic, posts this poll after every race weekend asking if it was a good race or not. Vote yourself, and see the results. Fans have it very lopsided right now.
Was Martinsville a good race?
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 17, 2023
The passing was certainly a challenge, much like last year at Martinsville, and aside from pulling the Hail Melon and passing 6 cars in a single corner, it is a chore to be able to gain position here. What is the solution? Will NASCAR be able to figure something out for racing at Martinsville? We will have to wait and see.
Four road courses on the schedule, and somehow that’s enough to spark one of the biggest debates in the garage. After recent comments from Brad Keselowski questioning the business value of road racing, the conversation has picked up serious steam. Is NASCAR leaning too far into it, or is the current balance about right?
There are valid points on both sides, from sponsorship realities to fan traditions to competitive diversity. Some tracks have gained traction. Others have struggled. The question isn’t just whether road courses belong, but how many make sense within a 36-race season. It’s less about extremes and more about direction. And with future schedule changes always looming, this debate probably isn’t settled anytime soon.
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Corey Day’s run-in with Connor Zilisch at Circuit of the Americas became one of the most discussed incidents from Saturday’s race, even drawing a response from Denny Hamlin as well, who this week talked about his support for Zilisch.
During the race, Zilisch dealt with brake trouble on his No. 1 Chevrolet but worked his way forward from the rear of the field, advancing from P29 to P4 in the closing laps. With five laps remaining, he engaged in a battle with Hendrick Motorsports driver Corey Day as they exited Turn 2, holding the outside line. But as they contested the position, Day moved up behind him, contact occurred, and Zilisch spun off course to finish the race in P21.
After the contact, frustrated, Connor Zilisch initially referred to Day as an “absolute hack” on his radio, describing the clash as part of the latter’s racing pattern. But the JR Motorsports driver later tempered his comments, simply saying he expects an apology from the young Hendrick Motorsports driver.
Given that Zilisch declined to escalate the situation, on the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin credited him for calmly managing his response after the race, saying,
“Zillich was smart about this. He in his interview, he’s like, “I looked over at him thinking, come on over here. Come apologize.” And he said he just looked at him with a stare like, I don’t know what it is with these guys. Why, Why can’t they… youth?”
However, he questioned Day’s failure to issue an immediate apology. In fact, he said he was “floored” by Corey Day’s reaction, which involved staring at a frustrated Zilisch rather than apologizing.
The No. 11 JGR driver also raised questions about how Hendrick Motorsports evaluates developing drivers. Organizations invest with the expectation of returns measured in wins and titles, but when a driver continues to make visible mistakes, fans and especially other drivers will start to scrutinize. Hamlin pointed to the balance between development and production, asking how long it would hold.
The COTA incident was not the first time Day’s racing antics were questioned. Last week, during the Atlanta race, Day was involved in a multi-car crash on lap five after attempting a three-wide move that resulted in contact with Ryan Sieg. The move triggered a chain reaction that collected several cars.
Sieg responded over team radio, questioning both the decision and Day’s presence in the series.
Hamlin argued that drivers are allowed to make mistakes as part of growth. At teams with front-running equipment and title ambitions, time frames are shorter. But he questioned whether Day faces a deadline by season’s end or whether the assessment extends into the following year.
In Day’s case, results have not offset the incidents that have drawn attention. Hamlin referenced Kyle Larson as an example, noting that aggressive driving can lead to contact as well as wins.
Do you agree with Hamlin’s take? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Bubba Wallace shared a message on X following the death of a close friend, writing about the weight of the news over the weekend.
“Makes you think about life and how precious it is… That tune… Nutshell- Alice In Chains Love yall,” he continued.
While Wallace did not name the friend in his post, one day before, reports confirmed that Chase Pistone, 42, had died. Pistone competed on short tracks and in NASCAR’s national ranks and later owned a Legends car. His family asked media outlets to share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, 988. His brothers, Nick and Tom Pistone, confirmed the news to LegendsNation.com.
Pistone, who was the grandson of NASCAR driver “Tiger” Tom Pistone, built his racing career in Legends cars and Late Models before stepping into NASCAR competition.
Apparently, Wallace and Pistone raced each other in Legends cars around 2005. Pistone won four Summer Shootout Championships at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with two titles in the Semi-Pro and two in the Pro divisions. Wallace competed in both Bandolero and Legends categories during that period, winning 35 of 48 Bandolero races in one season.
Both drivers were regulars at the Charlotte Summer Shootout. From there, their paths moved toward the national touring series.
Pistone made starts in ARCA and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005 and 2006, including an appearance with Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway. Meanwhile, Wallace moved into the K&N Pro Series East by 2010.
In 2006, Pistone made a start in the Nationwide Series at Martinsville, finishing 37th. After failing to qualify for the ARCA Menards Series race at Daytona in 2007, he stepped away from NASCAR competition until 2014.
He returned that year for eight combined starts in the Truck and Nationwide Series. In his final season at the national level, Pistone recorded a P9-place finish in the Truck Series race at Gateway, the best of his NASACR Truck career.
Beyond driving, Pistone owned CP Inc., building Legends and Late Model stock cars and offering leasing programs that included equipment, crew, and transport.
