Hamlin hits out at Next Gen car: 'a sports car not meant to be running 200mph'
Denny Hamlin left Talladega eighth, 73 points behind race winner Kyle Larson, and hit out at the Next Gen car's drag. He said the model is a sports car not meant to be running 200mph and that a huge weekend at Martinsville is needed to keep his title hopes alive.
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Denny Hamlin saiu de Talladega em oitavo — 73 pontos atrás de Kyle Larson, que venceu a corrida — e com as esperanças de título se apagando.
Questionado se a diferença pode ser fechada, ele não tinha certeza: “Não sei. Talvez sim, talvez não.” Um fim de semana enorme em Martinsville agora é necessário para mantê-lo em disputa realista.
Hamlin também reclamou do jogo de economia de combustível e mirou o carro Next Gen (Gen-7), que correu com um novo pacote aerodinâmico em Talladega. “Infelizmente para nós, eles projetaram um carro que tem tanto arrasto assim”, disse. “Não dá para tirar mais aerofólio dessa coisa. É um esportivo que não deveria correr a 200 mph.”
No dia em si, ele estava dividido. “Se você me perguntasse no início do dia se eu aceitaria um oitavo, bom, provavelmente sim. Mas obviamente o 5 [Larson] está numa arrancada enorme no momento certo do ano. É decepcionante, mas também o nosso dia poderia ter sido muito pior.”
Na última volta, ele empurrava Ricky Stenhouse para a liderança e “estava comprometido em ficar com o Ricky, porque eu sabia que ele faria o melhor para si e não o que mandaram ele fazer (pela Chevrolet)”. Aí Todd Gilliland o tocou, jogando-o em Austin Hill e apagando o embalo; o pelotão o engoliu e ele caiu para oitavo, enquanto Larson disparava para a vitória.
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