Denny Hamlin Interview After Winning All-Star Race at Dover | VICTORY LAP
About this episode
Denny Hamlin breaks down what happened at Dover, saying new tires carry a surface “shine” that needs to be knocked off—otherwise a spin can “flat spot” the tires and cost a set for the race. He also explains how the stage format reshapes strategy, forcing restarts deep in the field and testing how you run in traffic. Hamlin adds that he studied Jimmy Johnson’s in-car data lap-by-lap, and shares ideas for the next All-Star Race, including making it shorter and at night.
pit road
"For sure. Let's talk about the beginning of the day because you know the way practice the way qualifying was right [51.6s] You you you peel off pit road"
Pit road is where the cars come in for service. When you leave it, the tires and car conditions can be different, so it can affect how the car drives right away.
Pit road is the controlled lane where NASCAR teams service cars during stops. Leaving pit road is a key moment because tires may be cooler and grip can be different right after the car returns to racing speed.
spin out
"You you you peel off pit road and then you spin out [55.1s] Were you just trying to get everyone you know give them a chance"
A spin out is when the tires lose grip and the car starts rotating instead of going straight. It usually means the tires weren’t gripping the track.
A “spin out” is when the car loses traction and rotates uncontrollably, usually from tire slip under braking, turning, or throttle. In qualifying/practice, it often points to tire grip issues or track surface conditions.
burnout
"Uh, it's just an old rye racing trick. You know, you just you do the burnout [65.4s] all the things"
A burnout is when the driver intentionally spins the tires for a moment. It helps the tires get warm and removes the slippery coating on brand-new tires so the car grips better.
In NASCAR, a burnout is a controlled wheel-spin before or during practice/qualifying to warm the tires and scrub off their surface “shine.” That helps the tires grip more consistently when you start pushing for speed.
new tires
"So, you know, there's there's there's this shine on new tires, right? [72.8s] And so you got to knock the shine off"
Fresh tires can feel a little slippery at first. Drivers sometimes have to “break in” that surface so the tires bite instead of spinning.
“New tires” in racing often have a slick surface finish that can reduce grip until they’re scrubbed in. Drivers may manage how they enter turns or how they warm the tires to avoid wheelspin.
apron
"Okay, let's test the apron because I saw so many guys have an issues [88.2s] Um, I saw the shine on it"
The apron is the part of the track near the inside/pit area. It can handle differently than the main racing line, so drivers pay attention to how it feels.
The apron is the lower, inner section of the track surface near the pit lane/inside wall. Drivers use it as a reference for grip and line choice, and it can behave differently than the main racing groove.
flat spotted
"It definitely flat spotted them. I was down a set of tires for the race [99.2s] because those were beaten up so bad"
If a tire skids or locks up, it can get a worn “flat” spot. That makes the tire less grippy and can make the car handle worse until the tire is replaced.
A tire can become “flat spotted” when it locks up or spins while sliding, creating a worn patch that makes the tire bounce and lose grip. In NASCAR, that can hurt traction and stability for the rest of the stint.
stage-based qualifying/racing format
"If you go out and you win the first stage or you Finish in the top five, you're gonna have to start 20th or worse... And so now let's see how your car is in traffic and see how good you are in traffic... Promoted lots of overtaking in that second stage"
Some races are split into parts (“stages”). What you do in the first part can change where you start in the next part, so you may have to drive through traffic and pass more often.
The interview is describing a stage-based race format, where the event is split into segments (“stages”) and results from each segment affect starting positions for the next one. Hamlin’s point is that winning early can force you to restart far back later, making the car’s performance in traffic and overtaking more important.
starting 20th or worse after winning a stage
"If you go out and you win the first stage or you Finish in the top five, you're gonna have to start 20th or worse"
In this format, doing well early doesn’t guarantee you start up front later. You might restart near the back, so you have to pass a lot and work through traffic.
This describes a stage-racing consequence: even if you perform well in an early segment, you can be forced to restart deep in the field for the next segment. That increases the importance of passing ability, managing traffic, and keeping the car consistent under changing conditions.
green flag
"As man, we remember we just we showed up here and we go three laps down before Before they dropped the green"
The green flag is the start signal for the race. Before it comes out, the cars aren’t racing normally, so being behind “before the green” means you were already in trouble before the real action began.
The “green flag” is the signal that the race is officially underway and cars are allowed to race at full speed. Hamlin mentions being “three laps down before they dropped the green,” meaning the car was already behind before the race even properly started.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.