Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski & Bell React to Crucial Sonoma Changes Ahead of Sunday’s Showdown

NASCAR team owners Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski recently spoke about the changes to Sonoma Raceway after practice ahead of this Sunday’s Cup Series race at the road course venue. Both full-time drivers in the series offered a unique perspective on the implications of recent changes to the venue from the drivers’ and owners’ points of view.

Hamlin spoke on how the final turn at the track has seen a wall being placed on the inside instead of the previous tire wall in hopes of preserving track limits debacles and said, “It’s a little bit blind, but you’re kind of getting used to it and understanding the radius of how far I got to turn the wheel to make the corner without hitting it. So I think there will be a few that cut it too tight and risk knocking a toe link out, but hopefully it’s not us.”

Brad Keselowski added to his fellow competitor’s comments and spoke on how the presence of a wall on the inside of turn 11 drastically changes the risk vs. reward proposition for drivers attempting to overtake. He added, “It’s a pretty significant shift to the race track. We’ll see how it races.”

Turn 11 is often regarded as the final overtaking opportunity at the 2.5-mile-long road course facility as drivers round off their laps going up and down the elevation change of wine country. It will be interesting to see drivers attempt to dive-bomb others with the track being enforced by concrete which could potentially end someone’s race if they were to get it wrong at the corner.

Denny Hamlin’s teammate Christopher Bell chimes in on changes to Sonoma Raceway

Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 Toyota Camry XSE at Joe Gibbs Racing also spoke on how he thinks the new wall at Sonoma’s turn 11 is bound to change drivers’ techniques as they prepare to end their laps ahead of this Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350.

Going against the notion of the team owners, Bell touched on how he did not notice a big difference owing to the presence of a wall at the track and said, “I didn’t really notice much difference. I guess it’s probably going to make it a little bit more congested. If there’s a crash, you’re not going to have anywhere to go. But other than that, normal racing conditions.”

Bell seemed to be less vary of the concrete wall during normal racing at the track, only touching on how drivers would be affected by the same had there been the need to take evasive action in turn 11 due to unforeseen circumstances during the race.