Denny Hamlin Backs NASCAR’s Daytona Horsepower Cut for 2026 Race

Denny Hamlin has flipped his long-running horsepower push, backing NASCAR’s plan to slash engine power for the August 29 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

What changed?

For years, Hamlin led the garage’s demand for more horsepower, pushing NASCAR to raise short-track engines to 750 hp. He even challenged NASCAR’s reasoning on his podcast. But at Daytona, he’s now siding with the sanctioning body over a bold horsepower cut.

Why is Hamlin pushing for less power?

Hamlin wants Daytona to mimic Atlanta’s 2026 season magic, where cars raced bumper-to-bumper without fuel-saving games. The current Daytona package runs 510 hp and a 7-inch rear spoiler, producing so much drag that drivers draft in single file all race long. Hamlin described it as being “log jammed” in 10th, unable to move until the final stops.

How does the new package work?

NASCAR will drop Daytona’s horsepower to 465 by shrinking the tapered spacer to 27/32 of an inch. The rear spoiler shrinks from 7 inches to 4, matching intermediate tracks, while wide splitter stuffers and new spoiler braces are added. Less drag lets drivers pull out of line and build momentum runs without getting swallowed by the lead car’s air wake.

Single-car qualifying speeds are projected to rise 2-3 mph, while pack speeds stay roughly the same. Hamlin said the goal is to let drivers “pull out of line when they get a run and then hopefully create a little bit of space between them to allow them to get back in line.”

What’s next for Daytona and Talladega?

There’s no practice with the new package before qualifying. If it works cleanly at Daytona on August 29, NASCAR plans to apply the same rules to Talladega Superspeedway in October.