Denny Hamlin Joins NASCAR Penalty Debate: "Boxed In So Many Areas"

Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing and driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, has revealed his stance on the current debate about the amount of penalties being given in NASCAR.

There have been a large amount of disqualifications just twelve races into the season.

Just this week Chris Buescher and RFK Racing were hit with a hefty $75,000 fine, docked 60 championship points, 5 playoff points, and his crew chief Scott Graves was suspended for two races.

When asked about the ongoing debate about whether there are too many penalties, Hamlin explained:

"I mean, certainly gotta be fair to everyone. Had a race win taken away. We won for all for sure. And whatever it is, whatever the infraction, whatever says in the book. The penalty should be level. It shouldn't be negotiated up or down or anything like that, just by the book.

"Teams are trying to find any edge that they can with the Next-Gen car because you're boxed in so many areas... It's just a game of can you get caught or not."

What penalties have been given in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series so far?

Daytona 500

Pre-Qualifying Inspection:

• #34 Todd Gilliland – Improperly Installed Ballast (Loss of 10 points; Crew Chief Ejected)
• #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Multiple inspection failures (Sent to rear)
• #51 Cody Ware – Improperly Installed Ballast (Loss of 10 points; Crew Chief Ejected)

Unapproved Modifications:

• #5 Kyle Larson – Backup Car (Sent to rear)
• #6 Brad Keselowski – Backup Car
• #7 Justin Haley – Backup Car
• #35 Riley Herbst – Backup Car
• #48 Alex Bowman – Backup Car
• #54 Ty Gibbs – Backup Car
• #88 Shane van Gisbergen – Backup Car
• #91 Hélio Castroneves – Engine Change
• #99 Daniel Suarez – Backup Car

Post-Race Penalty:

• #19 Chase Briscoe – L2 penalty (100 points, 10 playoff points, $100,000 fine; Crew Chief James Small suspended 4 races) (Overturned)

Atlanta

Other:

• #51 Cody Ware – Improper Dual Role

COTA (Circuit of the Americas)

Unapproved Modifications:

• #38 Zane Smith – Sent to rear

Post-Race Penalties:

• #2 Austin Cindric – Intentional wreck on Ty Dillon (Fined $50,000; docked 50 points)
• #5 Kyle Larson – Lost wheel (Crew members suspended)

Phoenix

Pre-Qualifying Inspection:

• #71 Michael McDowell – Multiple inspection failures (Car Chief ejected, loss of pit selection)

Unapproved Modifications:

• #71 Michael McDowell – Sent to rear

Post-Race Penalty:

• #22 Joey Logano – Went below yellow line before finish (Warning)

Las Vegas

Unapproved Modifications:

• #12 Ryan Blaney – Sent to rear
• #20 Christopher Bell – Sent to rear
• #35 Riley Herbst – Sent to rear
• #42 John Hunter Nemechek – Sent to rear
• #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Sent to rear

Post-Race Penalties:

• #19 Chase Briscoe – Lost wheel (Crew members suspended)
• #8 Kyle Busch – Lost wheel (Crew members suspended)

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Unapproved Modifications:

• #43 Erik Jones – Sent to rear

Martinsville

Post-Race Penalties:

• #88 Shane van Gisbergen – Lost wheel (Crew members suspended)
• #43 Erik Jones – Disqualified (Failed minimum weight inspection)

Darlington

No reported pre-race or post-race penalties.

Bristol

Unapproved Modifications:

• #22 Joey Logano – Sent to rear
• #42 John Hunter Nemechek – Sent to rear

Talladega

Unapproved Modifications:

• #44 J.J. Yeley – Sent to rear

Post-Race Penalties:

• #22 Joey Logano – Disqualified (Post-race inspection failure)
• #41 Ryan Preece – Disqualified (Post-race inspection failure)

Kansas

Unapproved Modifications:

• #6 Brad Keselowski – Sent to rear
• #10 Ty Dillon – Sent to rear
• #19 Chase Briscoe – Sent to rear
• #21 Josh Berry – Sent to rear
• #38 Zane Smith – Sent to rear
• #54 Ty Gibbs – Sent to rear
• #88 Shane van Gisbergen – Sent to rear

Post-Race Penalty:

• #17 Chris Buescher – L1 penalty (60 points and 5 playoff points docked; $75,000 fine; Crew Chief Scott Graves suspended 2 races)