NASCAR fined Hamlin $50,000 and docked him 25 factors for deliberately crashing into Ross Chastain and sending him right into a wall on the finish of the Cup race at Phoenix on 12 March.
Hamlin wasn’t initially penalised on the time, however was given the penalty after he admitted on his podcast the subsequent day that he deliberately hit Chastain on the ultimate restart of the race. The 2 drivers have had a number of on-track incidents relationship again to final June.
“It wasn’t a mistake. I let the wheel go and I mentioned, ‘He’s coming with me’,” Hamlin mentioned on his podcast.
Hamlin at first mentioned he wouldn’t enchantment however later modified his thoughts.
With out the factors penalty, he could be ninth within the common season standings, however is as a substitute down in 12th place.
Final September through the playoffs, William Byron was initially docked 25 driver factors and fined $50,000 after deliberately spinning Hamlin below warning at Texas. A separate appeals panel rescinded his factors penalty, however doubled the effective to $100,000.
Afterwards, NASCAR modified the language within the rulebook relating to such incidents.
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Shingrix Toyota Camry, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Rheem Toyota Camry, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, Kubota Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
Earlier this week, the panel additionally penalised Kaulig Racing and its driver Justin Haley for unapproved modifications of a single-source provided half.
The panel mentioned the group did violate NASCAR guidelines and upheld a lot of the tough penalties issued to the group, together with the $100,000 effective and four-race suspension for crew chief Trent Owens and the lack of 10 playoff factors.
The panel did, nonetheless, scale back the 100 proprietor and 100 driver factors penalties to 75 factors every.
The punishment adopted NASCAR’s penalties to 5 Cup groups – all 4 Hendrick Motorsports groups and the #31 group from Kaulig – for the unapproved modification of hood louvers (vents) that are single-source components.
Bonnet louvers function a launch level for ducts that switch air out of the radiator of every automobile.
