NASCAR penalized Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin by deducting 75 points and 10 playoff points, eliminating his chance to win the regular-season title and complicating his path to a championship. The penalty was a result of Hamlin’s race-winning engine from Bristol Motor Speedway in March being rebuilt by manufacturer Toyota before NASCAR could inspect it. Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, was fined $100,000 in connection with the incident.
Toyota Racing Development self-reported the error and TRD president David Wilson referred to it as a “grievous mistake.” NASCAR imposed the standard penalty for any team that alters its engine before inspection. Following the penalty, Hamlin dropped from third to sixth in the Cup standings, making him ineligible for the regular-season title with only two races left. His playoff points were decreased from 21 to 11, increasing the pressure for a strong performance in the early postseason races.
Toyota Racing Development took full responsibility for the incident and clarified that Joe Gibbs Racing, Hamlin’s team, was not involved in the engine’s handling. Wilson stated that TRD is fully accountable for managing their engines before and after races. Despite being confident in the engine’s legality and passing inspection, NASCAR was not given the opportunity to conduct a proper inspection due to the unintentional rebuilding by TRD personnel.
Toyota has since implemented additional measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adherence to NASCAR inspection protocols to maintain a fair playing field for all competitors.
