Denny Hamlin unfazed by NASCAR's hefty fines: "Wouldn't treat post-race confrontations any different"

Denny Hamlin shared his views regarding the massive $75,000 fine handed by NASCAR to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for starting a brawl with Kyle Busch at North Wilkesboro last weekend. Hamlin seemed unbothered by the biggest fine NASCAR has issued specifically for a fight.

Apart from Team Penske's Joey Logano winning the $1 Million prize at the 2024 All-Star Race, the Busch-Stenhouse Jr. feud caught major attention in the NASCAR community. The scuffle in the opening laps of the 200-lap event led to a post-race physical altercation between the #8 RCR driver Busch and #47 Stenhouse Jr. in the garage area. Due to this, the JTG Daugherty Racing driver found himself with a hefty fine as he landed the first punch on Busch.

In a recent conversation with Peter Stratta (via YouTube), Joe Gibbs Racing driver Hamlin shared his opinion concerning NASCAR's imposition on the #47 Chevy team.

"I think in the Heat of the Moment I think money doesn't matter. I think you just care about making a point at that point so it doesn't stick in the back of my mind. I wouldn't treat post-race confrontations or altercations any different than I would before." Hamlin said (at 0:27).

The 43-year-old then talked about the disparity regarding NASCAR's treatment of such issues:

"I hear NASCAR a lot of flack about being inconsistent but...they(NASCAR) have been consistent and when things are in the heat of the moment, they typically let things go a little bit."

"When you've had time to premeditate, I think that they come down a little more severely but still it's kind of unprecedented from a number standpoint," Hamlin added. (0:57)

Besides Ricky Stehouse Jr.'s penalty, two crew members of the #47 team have been suspended for multiple races. Also, the #47 driver's father has been handed an indefinite suspension as he got involved in the All-Star brawl.

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Denny Hamlin believes that the Busch-Stenhouse Jr. feud was inevitable

NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin shared his thoughts regarding the physical altercation at the garage area post-All-Star race at North Wilkesboro.

Speaking on the Action Detrimental podcast, #11 JGR driver Hamlin claimed that #47 Stenhouse Jr.'s action was inevitable as he publically committed his confrontation with Busch.

Hamlin said:

"He put himself in a box on TV by saying he was going to do something. Ricky is one of those stand-up humans that when he tells you he’s going to do something, he’s probably going to do it." [48:10]

The Florida native believes that the only way the fight would have been avoided was if Busch apologized straightway.

"It was the only way. Because I thought Kyle didn't really justify anything," Hamlin added.

As NASCAR heads towards the 14th race of the Cup Series season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch is placed at the 13th spot in the overall Cup Series standings while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is at P26.