Denny Hamlin faces yet another season of championship disappointment. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver seems to have a persistent struggle with winning Cup Series titles. Although it appeared that he might finally break his championship jinx, fate dealt him another cruel blow. A peculiar incident, coupled with a significant violation of NASCAR’s engine inspection rules by Toyota, derailed his chances of securing a regular-season championship.
As a result, both Hamlin and JGR were penalized with a deduction of 75 points and 10 playoff points, and Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, was fined $100,000. This severe penalty not only affected Hamlin’s standing but also drastically reshaped the playoff landscape. Dropping from third to sixth place, Hamlin’s hopes for a regular-season championship were crushed. While this might have provided some relief to other contenders, the reality of the situation was less celebratory.
Kyle Larson, a top contender for the regular-season championship from Hendrick Motorsports, was in contention alongside his teammate Chase Elliott. Tyler Reddick’s rise to the top of the leaderboard added more tension to the competition. Despite the opportunity Hamlin’s penalty might have created for Larson, the #5 Chevrolet driver expressed sympathy rather than satisfaction. In an interview with AP News, Larson lamented the penalty, stating, “I was bummed to see that. It’s a huge penalty and one that can, for sure, affect your season in a negative manner. That goes a long way. You want everybody to have a fair shot.” Larson felt that viewing Hamlin’s penalty as a benefit to other drivers was unacceptable.
Martin Truex Jr., Hamlin’s teammate, shared similar sentiments. He noted, “From what I understand, it wasn’t like they were cheating intentionally. It was a mistake. But a mistake is a mistake, and you have to pay for it. It’s just a bummer for their team and for the competition.” Truex Jr. added, “I don’t know what’s right. It doesn’t feel right, but somebody’s going to take the fall.”
With their championship aspirations dashed, Hamlin and his #11 team have only themselves to blame for the predicament, particularly crew chief Chris Gabehart.
Gabehart expressed his frustration about the situation, saying, “We’re all disappointed—TRD, JGR, the 11 car, and all our sponsors are really let down.” He explained, “We won with this engine at Bristol, but for process-savings reasons, engines are used more than once. The engine was scheduled for another run, and instead of going to NASCAR, it ended up back at its home base.”
As the playoff picture shifts dramatically, Hamlin and his team must navigate the remaining races with caution. While the championship is still within reach, the penalty has undeniably jeopardized Hamlin’s chances.
