UPDATE: Uh Oh, NASCAR Also Listened to Denny Hamlin’s Podcast

What’s Happening

UPDATE 3/15

NASCAR has fined Denny Hamlin $50,000 and docked 25 driver points.

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, NASCAR Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer explained the reasoning behind the punishment.

“We’re delighted that Denny has a podcast. We think that’s great, interacts with the fans, but when you start admitting that you have intentionally done something that would compromise the results of the end of the race, then that rises to a level that we’re going to get involved.”

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW

In the closing laps of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event in Phoenix drivers Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain once again get tangled up on the racetrack. A late race caution brought out by Harrison Burton for spinning his No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford, and that brought a strategic final round of pit stops. Hamlin was one of six drivers to only get 2 tires with drivers who got 4 tires restarting right behind him. Ross Chastain was on the outside of Hamlin going through turns 1 and 2 when they collide.

Denny Hamlin spoke about the incident on his podcast ‘Actions Detrimental’ on Monday and went into detail about what his mindset was on the final laps of Sunday’s race. Hamlin admitted to the collision with Ross on the final laps were not a mistake.

NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition, Elton Sawyer, says that the sanctioning body is looking into the comments Hamlin made on his podcast.

• Section 4.4.B of the Cup Rule Book states that a competitor can be fined 25-50 points and/or fined $50,000-$100,000 for a series of violations that includes “Wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result.”

• Hamlin 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.” on his podcast this week admitting to doing it on purpose.

• NASCAR says they aware of Denny Hamlin’s comments and are looking into whether a penalty is warranted.

From the Officials

TobyChristie.com was able to grab a quote from NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition.

“Without a doubt, it’s on our radar,” said Elton Sawyer. “Last night late this information was provided to me, so we’ll get our team together this morning we’ll go through that very similar to the other parts and pieces that we brought back from Phoenix, and we’ll decide how we go forward. I’m aware of it, and we’ll dissect that early this morning and see where we go.”

We won’t know until later this week if NASCAR will go through with penalizing Denny Hamlin for admitting to the collision with Chastain. NASCAR has penalized drivers in the past for admitting to wrecking someone on purpose. Time will tell if Hamlin gets the same punishment or not.

In The Stands

Austin doesn’t think that Hamlin deserves a penalty after being on the other side of most of the collisions between him and Chastain, despite Hamlin admitting to purposely getting into Chastain at Phoenix.

Grant Adkins thinks that Hamlin violated more than one of NASCAR’s competition rules when he ran Chastain into the wall on the final lap of Phoenix.

Fans are jumping on board for Denny Hamlin to get penalized.

On Your Screens

UPDATE 3/15

Eric gave his thoughts on Hamlin’s penalty in a new Out of the Groove

ORIGINAL POST BELOW

Eric Estepp posted a video on his YouTube channel discussing his thoughts on the incident between Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin.

Check out what The Iceberg has to say about Hamlin admitting to his actions on Sunday.

Kenny Wallace shares his opinion on Denny Hamlin.