Denny Hamlin loses 25 points, $50k over Phoenix incident
NASCAR levied Denny Hamlin a 25-point penalty and a $50,000 fine for an incident with Ross Chastain at Phoenix Raceway.
On his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin openly admitted to putting Chastain in the wall. He said he knew he was going to lose positions with a tight racecar and said, “he’s coming with me,” when he saw Chastain to the outside of him.
Entering turn one, with two laps to go in overtime, Hamlin slammed into Chastain and put him into the wall. Chastain drove away, then brake-checked Hamlin, who bumped Hamlin back.
Hamlin passed Chastain, then finished 23rd while Chastain finished 24th.
NASCAR penalized Hamlin for Sections 4.4B and D of the member code of conduct. The codes specify an attempt to “manipulate the outcome of the race or championship” or “wreck or spin another vehicle” intentionally are actions “detrimental to stock racing or NASCAR”.
The penalty puts Hamlin 12th in the regular-season points, 51 points behind points leader Kevin Harvick.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com