Denny Hamlin was denied an appeal by The National Motorsports Appeals Panel after he was fined and penalized for intentionally fencing Ross Chastain during the race at Phoenix Raceway.
Denny Hamlin via Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media YouTube
Following the conclusion of the race at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR declared, “Denny Hamlin was fined $50,000 and lost 25 driver points for violating Sections 4.4 in the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct, which cover attempting to manipulate the outcome of the race or championship; wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from competition as a result; and actions detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR.”
Video replay, seen below, showed Hamlin driving up the track and putting Chastain into the outside wall.
Hamlin would also admit on his podcast, Actions Detrimental, that he intentionally fenced Chastain. He said, ““I’m about to get passed by everybody behind me who is on fresh tires. I’m about to finish in the mid teens. And I said, ‘You’re coming with me, buddy.’ It wasn’t a mistake. No, it wasn’t a mistake. I let the wheel go and I said, ‘He’s coming with me.’”
He would later add during the podcast, “I saw that we were the only people up top so I said, ‘I’m gonna send him in the fence and door him.’”
Hamlin even went on to admit that he attempted to spin out Chastain in the next corner as well, “He actually got the jump. He downshifted quicker and then he brake checked me a few times. You saw that from the inboard down the backstretch. He hit the brakes a couple times and I wasn’t letting off at all. It didn’t matter to me. And then after the brake checks then I went in to the next corner and tried.”
In a blog post, NASCAR announced Hamlin’s points penalty and fine were upheld by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. The Appeals panel members who upheld the decision were Hunter Nickell, Dale Pinilis, and Lyn St. James.
They wrote, “The decision affirms the fine of $50,000 issued to the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in addition to the deduction of 25 driver points in the championship standings.”
According to NASCAR, Hamlin does still have the option “to appeal the ruling to the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer in accordance with the NASCAR Rule Book.”
Denny Hamlin and Michael Waltrip during Grid Walk at NASCAR Cup Series Race at COTA via Skewcar YouTube
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On the most recent episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin appeared optimistic that he would win the appeal, or at the very least was looking forward to the appeals hearing.
He said, “I’m looking forward to it. I really am. I’m looking forward to getting in a room with those guys and having a discussion, for sure.”
“I won’t have many filters, for sure, but probably in this instance, I probably should have a little more,” he added.
Here it is. New episode. https://t.co/Pyw2wWdu0D
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) April 3, 2023
What do you make of the Appeals Panel upholding the fine and penalty?