Denny Hamlin faces NASCAR penalty as second round of Playoffs begin

During the Bristol Night Race, Denny Hamlin lost a wheel on the track just as he made contact with AJ Allmendinger. So, here’s the dilemma – if the wheel came off because of a bad pit stop, that’s going to cost the No. 11 team.

When a wheel comes loose on the track during the race, it is a pretty big penalty. NASCAR wants to reduce these incidents as much as possible because of the danger they pose when they do happen.

For a wheel coming off under green flag conditions on the track, it’s a two-lap penalty for the driver. Then, NASCAR will issue a two-race suspension for the jackman and whichever tire changer put that wheel on.

However, Denny Hamlin and his team are arguing that it was due to the contact from Allmendinger. The wheel coming off and the hit from Allmendinger happened almost simultaneously. So, that’s for NASCAR to decide at this point.

“It is what it is. We were the only car on pit road at the time, and unfortunately, the tire fell off,” Hamlin said after the race, via Matt Weaver of Motorsport.

“There was clearly an issue with the car. We had just hit the wall the lap before so I can’t look at the suspension and tell if it was broke or not,” Hamlin continued. “Certainly, there was something there that was out of whack.”

Crew chief Chris Gayle isn’t to worried about the potential penalties. Joe Gibbs Racing has a deep roster of pit crew members and should be able to fill any spots efficiently. Honestly, if possible, I would defer the suspensions for New Hampshire and Kansas.

Denny Hamlin will want to be at his best for the first two races of the Round of 12. The third race, the Roval, isn’t his cup of tea. So getting a chunk of points, or a win, in the first two races is probably crucial to whether or not Hamlin makes the Round of 8.

During the NASCAR Playoffs, teams have to be strategic. Take advantage of the races that fit your strengths. Getting stage wins, points, and race wins is what carries a champion to Phoenix and ultimately, to the Bill France Cup.

Looking at the speed that Denny Hamlin has had lately, he should be a contender at the next two tracks. A win at New Hampshire would do a lot to prepare Hamlin for the Round of 8 races. From there, he can focus on those tracks early. If he can get to Phoenix, he has as good of a shot as anyone else to win the championship.