Denny Hamlin believes sports gambling could have led to NASCAR crackdown on radio communications

Last week at the Roval, NASCAR warned Xfinity teams and Cup teams about discussing points. Denny Hamlin has an explanation. Over the years, talk about points and the cutline have been standard on playoff drivers’ radios. Now, officials are starting to crackdown on it.

The NASCAR Playoffs have created the conditions for drivers to fudge with points and running position. We have seen teams “manipulate” finishes and figure out how to help teammates advance, and this or that.

Now, NASCAR doesn’t want anyone to really discuss points. Except for those on the cutline? It’s confusing, and Denny Hamlin thinks that a recent trend in sports is to blame, at least partially.

“All situations are different,” Hamlin said in a pre-practice media availability at Las Vegas. “If you watch a college football game today, there’s going to be a spread, somebody will be leading with 3 seconds on the clock, and they’re going to run backwards into the endzone and get a safety, and it could change what money’s changed hands. So, like, they chose what’s best strategy for them, they didn’t care about your bets or whatever it might be, right?

“I think some of the sensitivity around this is obviously, probably gambling-focused. Because I know NASCAR is very, very sensitive, as they should be, with that, to make sure everyone’s getting a fair shake. But on the racetrack, I feel as though, as long as you don’t have a bias to one party or another, yeah, I don’t know why you can’t make the best decision for yourself. Because the points are about to reset. That was a cutoff race, for me personally, whether I finished 17th or 18th meant zero, nothing.

“At that point, then, I actually gain the advantage by being able to choose, if I so choose, if I wanted to. But I don’t know whether that’s, I still don’t know whether that’s acceptable or not. It was a very weird situation, it was a very unique one. It may or may not come up again at some point. But I’m wondering, are people going to be allowed to intentionally wreck? I said on my podcast what I did to Chastain at Phoenix. I don’t know how it’s any different whatsoever. I’m not saying there should be a penalty for Ross or anything but an intentional wreck is an intentional wreck. What’s the difference? So, I certainly would like that clarification sooner than later. So, we all know what to expect.”

Right now, points talk won’t matter much for Denny Hamlin or anyone else. Everyone is going to wait to see how Las Vegas and Talladega play out. Then, Denny Hamlin and others can worry about points. To Hamlin’s overall point, he wants to know what position he is in on the track.

Being in front of Ross Chastain last week was a dangerous place to be. Hamlin claims he had no idea the points situation, and therefore, didn’t expect to get put into the wall in the final turn. At the very least, Hamlin wants to be able to understand the situation enough to make a safety decision.

Could sports gambling be playing a factor in the crackdown on race manipulation? It could be. Denny Hamlin believes it might be a variable. But what do drivers on the track deserve to know in order to make the best decisions for themselves and their teams?