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Hamlin Joins The Court of Appeals

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 01: NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin speaks with the media during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at Charlotte Convention Center on September 01, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Cody Williams

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After initially stating that he will not appeal his penalty, Denny Hamlin has decided to join Hendrick and Kaulig at appeals court.

What’s Happening?

A lot has been going on around Denny Hamlin in the last week. At Phoenix, he and Ross Chastain in the No. 1 got together on the final lap and both finished as the last cars on the lead lap. Nothing much was said after that. Fox’s broadcast didn’t even catch it on TV in the moment.

Speculation at the time wasn’t much more than “here we go again” as the next chapter in the Hamlin vs. Chastain saga started to get written. It wasn’t until Actions Detrimental, a podcast hosted by Hamlin and presented by Dirty Mo Media, was posted to YouTube when the pot really started to boil.

You Need To Know:

  • Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin have a long history of somehow finding each other on the race track. Their rivalry was a huge storyline last year which bled over to this year’s Clash. As Denny admitted on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, his decision to plow Ross Chastain into the fence was no accident, it was intentional.
  • As Hamlin dove into his mindset in the moment of the incident, NASCAR’s ears perked up and slapped him down with a big fine and a 25-point penalty on Wednesday. Initially, Hamlin declined to appeal the penalty but now has miraculously changed his mind. Perhaps his change of heart came after talking to his business partner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., who said Hamlin should appeal the penalty as a what a NASCAR driver says on his own podcast or social media should be off-limits, noting a distinction between those things and actually saying it on the property of the track.
  • Fans have no love lost for Denny Hamlin and haven’t for most of his career. Be it his affiliation with JGR, Bubba Wallace, or even spinning Chase Elliott at Richmond, for whatever reason, fans just don’t seem to care for him. They wasted no time criticizing his comments, many of them believing it was a “stupid” move and that he wouldn’t have gotten the penalty at all if he only kept his mouth shut.

The NASCAR appeals council has a full plate after this week as they will now hear not only the cases of Hendrick Motorsports and Kaulig but also, now, Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin’s penalty, by its very nature, is worlds apart from the ones HMS and Kaulig were dished out. There might just be a little more wiggle room in Hamlin’s case for him to squeeze out of this one.

The Main Character

Denny Hamlin is obviously the main character of this story as he has decided to appeal a penalty handed down to him from NASCAR for something he said on his own show.

Here is a clip of Denny addressing the Chastain controversy on his podcast, Actions Detrimental.

Around The Garage

Business partner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., owner of Dirty Mo Media, spoke with his co-host, Mike Davis, about the penalty, thinking NASCAR had maybe gone too far.

In The Stands

Twitter user, Laura Smith, encourages Hamlin to fight what she believes is a gross injustice.

D3rt argues that NASCAR’s overreach here are Actions Detrimental…

Hmm…Kyle asks if Hamlin can even still appeal after initially opting not to…

Kyle Smith points out the contradiction in Hamlin’s two statements.

Kimberly H seems to be swayed by Dale Jr. and Mike Davis from the Dale Jr. Download. She supports Hamlin filing fo an appeal.

This Ross Chastain fan, who…doesn’t hate Hamlin?…disagrees with the NASCAR penalty.

Jason Davies thanks Denny for not being afraid to speak his mind.

Eddie Robertson wants Denny to “man up” and take his medicine as he “manipulated” the finish of Sunday’s race.

With all the talk about “manipulation”, Butter Ball points out that Ross Chastain manipulated the Championship 4 with his wallride at Martinsville. He did not get a penalty.

Lake Norman Buckeye screams for Denny to save the excitement and drama that made NASCAR so great.

On Your Screen

NASCAR YouTuber reports on the story, also providing the commentary that the penalty was too steep to begin with.

Out of the Groove host, Eric Estepp found Hamlin’s tweet quite humorous.

We’re not sure when Denny Hamlin’s appeal will be heard but as soon as we find out, The Daily Downforce will let you know!

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AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: SVG Wins at COTA

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The checkered flag is out for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competitors at COTA, and it was Shane van Gisbergen who was left standing tall at the end of the race. His 5th career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory, it was his first at the track.

  • The opening stage was dominated by the JRM duo of Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen with the No. 1 of Zilisch looking to be the stronger of the two early on. Prior to the end of the stage, both short-pitted, making a long-term play for the win. SVG still managed to end the stage in 10th.
  • Austin Hill stayed out after a disappointing showing in Atlanta last week to collect some stage points. Also running strong in the first stage were Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Brandon Jones, and Jesse Love.
  • Despite not being in his usual ride, Carson Kvapil was very competitive in his DGM No. 91 Chevy. Granted, the car was prepared by JR Motorsports ahead of this race, but it was DGM guys running the show. They did an admirable job, bringing the car home in the 19th position after falling off late. He’ll have 5 more starts in the car later this year to fill out the remainder of his schedule.
  • The second stage belonged to Sam Mayer. Finishing 2nd in the first stage and winning Stage 2, he had a mighty good points day today. Meanwhile, his former teammate Justin Allgaier also had a strong finish in stage 2. That’s a promising sign, considering his heartbreaks in Daytona and Atlanta, respectively.
  • Connor Zilisch had far from a perfect race today. Sure, he led a bulk of the opening stage, but mechanical issues plagued him later in the race. Extra time on pit road making repairs put him behind the 8 ball in Stage 2. This put the race firmly in the hands of SVG. He did manage to battle back to the top 5 before he was dumped by Corey Day and the controversy around that driver continues to build. Zilisch brought it home in 21st with significant damage.
  • With Connor Zilisch’s issues, it was more or less a cakewalk for Shane van Gisbergen in the JRM No. 9. He went on to win, scoring his 5th career win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He has an opportunity to sweep the weekend. He starts tomorrow’s Cup race in the 13th position.

Race Results

Caution Tracker
  • Lap 20: End of Stage 1
  • Lap 35: Baltazar Leguizamon spins
  • Lap 40: End of Stage 2
  • Lap 57: Sage Karam

Points Standings

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch, driver of the #1 Roto-Rooter Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

O’Reilly: Mid-Race Report, It’s the Zilisch and SVG Show!

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The first two stages are in the books for the stars of tomorrow in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA. Predictably, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen dominated the first two stages. As they short-pitted at the end of each stage, Austin Hill and Sam Mayer both went to collect stage wins, respectively. Here are the key takeaways from the race so far.

  • Austin Hill, after a disappointing finish to last week’s race in Atlanta following being sent by Ross Chastain, won the opening stage of the race. This was, of course, after Connor Zilisch and SVG short pitted, playing the long game for the win. Zilisch led a bulk of the opening stage, leading 12 of the opening 20 laps. On pit road, SVG managed to leapfrog Zilisch for the would-be race lead.
  • The only incident to note in the opening stage was when Jeremy Clements got off course. The caution did not fly, and he finished the stage in the 30th position.
  • Key drivers earning stage points in the opening stage include Austin Hill (10), Sam Mayer (9), Justin Allgaier (8), Brandon Jones (7), Jesse Love (6), Carson Kvapil (5), Corey Day (4), and Rajah Caruth (2).
  • The second stage wasn’t quite as cut and dry as the first. While battling for the lead, Connor Zilisch overdrove a corner, making an uncharacteristic mistake. He went over the radio to complain that it felt like his car was pulling to the right, an indication of a possible issue with his left side brakes.
  • There was a late caution in the stage as Baltazar Leguizamón suffered a brake failure and plowed hard into the tire barrier. He was okay but this effectively ended his day. SVG and Connor Zilisch both came down pit road during this caution. Zilisch had a slow stop as his No. 1 crew started to check out the right side of the car for potential brake problems. Sam Mayer went on to win the stage.
  • Earning stage points in the second stage were Sam Mayer (10), Justin Allgaier (9), Carson Kvapil (8), Jesse Love (7), Austin Hill (5), Sammy Smith (4), Brandon Jones (3), and Ryan Sieg (1).

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 28: Shane Van Gisbergen, driver of the #9 Safety Culture Chevrolet, and Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Focused Health 250 at Circuit of The Americas on February 28, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

What to Keep an Eye on in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at COTA

by Cody Williams

What’s Happening?

The NASCAR Saturday Double-Header continues with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series action from Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Here’s what you need to look out for and what to expect in today’s race.

  • Road course heavy hitters, Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, are in the field today. You know what that means: another slobber knocker of a race between them as everyone else struggles to keep up. And, you guessed it: they both are starting on the front row with Zilisch claiming the pole in his No. 1 JRM Chevy. SVG is driving the No. 9.
  • Since Zilisch is in the No. 1, Carson Kvapil has been demoted to the No. 91 of DGM Racing. While the car is prepared by JR Motorsports, it won’t be his usual pit crew. Rather, his crew is made up entirely of DGM employees. So, there are a lot of unknowns for him heading into today’s race. He’s starting 6th.
  • Speaking of JRM, Rajah Caruth turned some heads in the first two races of this season. How will he fare on a road course? That No. 88 team is used to winning on these types of tracks. Keep an eye on him. Caruth is rolling off 19th.
  • Austin Hill bounces back after a disappointing finish last week in Atlanta, thanks to the ruthless bumper of Ross Chastain. He’s rolling off in the 3rd position.
  • Coverage for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at COTA begins at 3 PM EST on the CW.

Starting Lineup

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.