It’s not every day Denny Hamlin sides with NASCAR. But when it comes to the recent wave of penalties handed out this season, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver isn’t backing the teams—he’s backing the rulebook.
We’re only 12 races into 2025, and already, the penalty count is stacking up fast. Just take a look at recent weeks.
Erik Jones got disqualified after finishing 24th at Martinsville for failing the minimum weight rules. At Talladega, Ryan Preece and Joey Logano were both DQ’d after post-race inspection—Preece had three shims instead of two, and Logano’s spoiler was missing a bolt.
Then came the big one. Chris Buescher and RFK Racing were rocked by a major penalty after Kansas, the consequences of which might put the RFK Racing driver in a must-win situation. This has led to a discussion in the NASCAR community over the racing organization’s issuing penalties right, left, and center. Even Hamlin weighed in on it recently.
Denny Hamlin Opens on NASCAR’s Recent Penalties to the Drivers
After Kansas, Buescher’s car failed inspection for illegal bumper cover reinforcements. NASCAR hit the team with an L1 penalty, costing Buescher 60 driver points and five playoff points. He dropped from 12th to 24th in the standings.
The team also got fined $75,000, and crew chief Scott Graves was suspended for two races, covering the All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600. It was a gut punch for the No. 17 squad and sparked a broader debate around the sport: Are there too many penalties?
Hamlin was asked about it after qualifying for the All-Star Race. He didn’t hold back. “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.”
Hamlin also pointed to the Next Gen car as the reason behind the spike in infractions. With tighter rules and more parity than ever, teams are digging for any edge they can find.
“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,” Hamlin added.
"They don't bolster it as much."@dennyhamlin shares his opinion on how #NASCAR promotes the All-Star Race and the $1 million dollar prize. He also discusses the development of 23XI Racing's pit crews and the rise in disqualifications. pic.twitter.com/IJe2jSzxdo
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch)
Sure, the penalties are piling up—and they’re tough. But maybe, just maybe, it’s a sign that NASCAR is working hard to keep things equal. As long as the rulebook stays the same for everyone, fairness might just win out.