Denny Hamlin calls for NASCAR to penalize Austin Dillon, criticizes officiating

Denny Hamlin was on the receiving end of a hard right rear hook that put him into the outside wall on the last lap at Richmond. Now, Hamlin is railing against NASCAR and its officiating.

Look, we all know Denny Hamlin is one to use his bumper or door when he has to. He doesn’t shy away from that. However, what Austin Dillon did in the last corner at Richmond tonight was far different.

Dillon rammed into the back of Logano, sending the 22 car into the wall. He then came down onto Hamlin and hooked him in order to take the win.

After the race, Hamlin was upset.

“Where’s the line, Bob?” Hamlin said to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “That’s the thing is where we have rules against, to prevent ridiculous acts but you know, it’s been a long time since those rules have been enforced. Didn’t Layne Riggs spin someone out and get a two-lap penalty or some bullshit? It’s tough because this is what the young short-track racers see and they think that this is okay because they watch the professionals on Sunday that are supposed to act like adults just do dumb shit and it’s just amazing that it’s allowed.

“I don’t fault him [Dillon] because he’s completely desperate, right? He’s 30th in points, he jumps 20 spots in points or whatever the hell it is, his season’s saved. Now, he’ll have to pay repercussions down the line for this but it’s so worth it from his standpoint because there’s no guardrails or rules that say don’t do that, and there’s no one in the tower that has any problem with it. So, we’re never ever going to get taken seriously as a sport because we have no real officiating.”

Denny Hamlin feels Austin Dillon crossed a line

Of course, Denny Hamlin was answering questions about that finish as soon as he got out of his car. Media members were asking how he felt about the wreck and his reaction to it. Judging by his comments above, you can guess how he felt immediately after.

“Absolutely a line was crossed,” Hamlin said on the post-race broadcast. “But it’s an invisible line and it’s not defined. I mean they have rules and provisions for stuff like this, but they never take action for it.”

Hamlin was asked if Austin Dillon’s move to wreck both drivers was fair or foul.

“It’s obviously foul, but it’s fair in NASCAR,” he said. “We’re just a different league, right, where there is no penalties for rough driving or anything like that. So it opens up the opportunity for Austin to be able to just do whatever he wants.”

Does NASCAR have any way to correct this? Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano were furious after the finish. Austin Dillon gets to steal a race with dirty driving and nothing happens? NASCAR has said they will look at the situation and determine if penalties are needed this week.