Denny Hamlin makes surprising u-turn on NASCAR's Next Gen car after Kyle Petty comments

Denny Hamlin has been one of the most vocal critics of NASCAR's Next Gen car but the three-time Daytona 500 winner has surprisingly changed his tune

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Three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin has been a vocal opponent of NASCAR's Next Gen cars, a stance backed by numerous current and former drivers (including Dale Earnhardt Jr.).

This week, Kyle Petty, son of legend Richard, took to Twitter to praise the sport's move to the new vehicle in 2022 (Petty also criticized Earnhardt for his negative comments).

When Hamlin was questioned about Petty's stance (the former driver frequently engages in NASCAR debates), rather than reinforcing his earlier criticism, the 44-year-old shocked observers by offering favorable remarks about Next Gen vehicles. It comes as JGR may have already signed a Hamlin replacement.

"He is right in that sense," Hamlin said. It is not a stock car. "Talking about – I definitely heard him talk about how we used to bring a car off the street and turn it into a racecar, those days have obviously been gone for decades now.

"He is definitely partially right...Now, everyone over time, since there has been no development for years and years now, nothing has really changed; the field has just tightened up."

Responding to NASCAR historian Brock Beard on X, he wrote: "Innovation in the past was driven by teams; NASCAR was reactive. NASCAR has taken a proactive position in everything since February 2001. The car is a product of that.

"A racecar, as you know from history, is a constantly changing and evolving piece of equipment. In time it can and will change. The problem right now is that we live in a world of instant gratification. No one wants to wait..."

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NASCAR made a significant change in 2022, switching to Next Gen cars with an emphasis on safety over speed, aiming for more balanced races. However, this hasn't helped Hamlin secure his much-desired first Cup Series title, despite having the most wins without a championship.

On his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. responded to Kyle Petty's perspective. "I really, really respect Kyle, I think the world of him, and I appreciate his opinion. But I would just disagree that the car doesn't produce what I expect," he stated.

"Again, going back 75 years, I know Kyle's been around a long time, the car doesn't produce the kind of racing that I know we are capable of at road courses and short tracks," Earnhardt continued.

"The car does not produce the type of racing that I think should be our standard, and I know what we're capable of at road courses and short tracks; and I would not stop at trying to achieve amazing great racing at those style tracks."

Petty, aged 65, had a lengthy career, participating in a staggering 829 Cup Series races. He secured eight victories and two fifth-place season-long finishes over three decades.