Denny Hamlin wants to ban shifting at Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway is mentioned as unique because of its configuration, namely the dogleg on the backstretch.
It's also unique because drivers have the option of shifting off the corners. Because of NASCAR's gear rule, drivers can shift from third to fourth gear to get better acceleration after shifting down in the corners. Typically, road courses and Pocono are the only places where Sprint Cup Series drivers use the shifter handle at race speed.
Denny Hamlin doesn't like shifting at Phoenix.
"I wish NASCAR would really come up with a ban on that," Hamlin said Friday. "There is no reason why we should be shifting on a one-mile race track. This is a short track, not a road course. Make the gearing so we cannot shift because it's just dumb for us to have the option to be able to shift. Everything that they're trying to do with the whole gear rule and less horsepower, it throws that all out the window when you're able to go out here and shift. It will be an option and people will try to do it. I'm sure late in the runs it will be effective, but it's just with the gear taken out and the horsepower, we're just lugging off these corners and you're just flat footing it. As a driver, it's tough to be able to race that way so we're having to shift to try to get up off the corner. Hopefully looking forward we can change it to where you don't have to do that."
NASCAR's new rules package for the Cup Series took away some horsepower via a tapered spacer. However, because of other tweaks, corner speeds have been up through the first two intermediate track races of the season and will likely also be increased at Phoenix.
If NASCAR wanted to get rid of the option of shifting for drivers at Phoenix, it could make a move before the penultimate race of the year in November. Or, since there will be even more rules changes in 2016, it could leave the gear rule alone with the idea that things will be different in 2016.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
