“Something is wrong with the system,” Denny Hamlin indirectly challenges NASCAR not to repeal his point penalty after HMS appeal verdict

Denny Hamlin on how things are going regarding his appeal against NASCAR's penalty.

“Something is wrong with the system,” Denny Hamlin indirectly challenges NASCAR not to repeal his point penalty after HMS appeal verdict

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin, the NASCAR driver, has recently shed light on where things stand around his appeal against NASCAR for imposing a severe penalty on him. The penalty was imposed for what he said during his recent podcast. On Wednesday, four HMS drivers’ points penalty was repealed, and Hamlin wants the same happening to him.

Denny Hamlin was imposed with a fine by NASCAR, for admitting on his podcast that he intentionally drove into Ross Chastain on the last lap of the race at Phoenix Raceway. However, while talking about his penalty after the verdict that was given on the HMS drivers,’ he said, “Listen, I can assure you that if I’m the only one getting a penalty out of this whole thing, then there is something wrong with the system that’s for sure.“

YouTube video

“But, you know, was I surprised, I don’t think we should be surprised by anything, but, it certainly was unprecedented for them to say it was wrong but we are gonna change the penalty. In today’s world, you just don’t know without a statement, without proof, without transparency, none of us really know what’s going on.” Looking at Hamlin’s comments, it seems he is not sure how this whole saga will pan out but feels, if he ends up with the penalty to his name, then there is something seriously wrong.

FS Video

Moreover, he has bashed the whole system as, according to him, everything is being done without any proof or transparency regarding the whole thing. Denny Hamlin, in the first place, was found guilty of the following violations such as attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship and wrecking or spinning a vehicle. NASCAR has also cited Hamlin in violation of section 4.4 D, which includes any actions by a NASCAR Member that NASCAR finds detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR.

All these violations have taken a massive hit on him, and he is now liable to pay a whopping amount of $50,000 to NASCAR and is also in line to receive a deduction of 25 points from his current Cup Series tally. The 42-year-old would not, even, in his wildest imagination, have thought, that his comments on a podcast would have such serious repercussions.

Discover: “The ride quality is much harsher,” Joey Logano claims that the Next-Gen car is more physically demanding and exhausting

NASCAR’s senior vice president on Denny Hamlin’s podcast antics

Elton Swayer
Elton Swayer

Denny Hamlin has been making his trade in the NASCAR Cup Series for several years and is an absolute stalwart of the sport. Moreover, considering the pedigree that he has got in the sport, Hamlin got a bit too casual during his podcast, and while talking about his Phoenix crash, he said, “It wasn’t a mistake. No, it wasn’t a mistake. I let the wheel go, and I said he’s coming with me. It’s been interesting because I hear people say this is for last year or this year. I got wrecked at the Clash. I don’t know that Ross sees it that way. I think he’s still curious about what I thought about the Clash. I don’t know why he wonders what I thought about the Clash.”

Denny Hamlin’s comments have not sat well with the decision-makers at NASCAR, and its Vice President, Elton Sawyer while talking about the penalties, said, “When you look (the incident between Hamlin and Chastain) this past weekend, we would have viewed that as a racing incident, but then 24 hours later to have a competitor that has gone on a podcast … (and) you start admitting that you have intentionally done something that would compromise the results of the end of the race, then that rises to the level that we’re going to get involved.”

Considering what the Vice President of the sport has said about Denny Hamlin’s antics, it seems the latter should not have done what he did. A similar kind of incident took place in 2022 when William Byron spun Hamlin under caution in the Texas playoff race. After the event, Byron admitted to making contact but indicated it was not his intent to spin Hamlin.

However, despite this fact, he was fined $50,000 and 25 points. He then moved to the National Motorsports Appeals Panel for some respite, and while Byron’s points were restored, his fine was doubled. Considering this fact, what will happen around Denny Hamlin’s appeal against the decision makers for the NASCAR Cup Series?

In case you missed it: