"It's the intent that should matter" - Denny Hamlin pulls no punches on NASCAR letting Roger Penske's driver go unpunished for right hook

NASCAR’s ruling on Austin Cindric’s right-hook incident at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) has drawn criticism from Denny Hamlin. The sanctioning body penalized Cindric with a 50-point deduction and a $50,000 fine but did not issue a suspension. Hamlin questioned the consistency of NASCAR’s disciplinary actions, arguing that intent should be the primary factor in giving out penalties.

While speaking to the media at Phoenix Raceway ahead of the Shriners Children 500, Denny Hamlin made it clear that NASCAR's approach to penalizing drivers should focus on intent rather than the consequences of an action.

“You can't, like I said, I don’t think the results should matter. It’s the intent that should matter,” Hamlin stated via Frontstrech [1:12 onwards].

Cindric’s penalty came from his right-rear contact with Ty Dillon, which sent the Kaulig Racing driver spinning. However, since the incident happened at lower speeds on a road course and did not bring out a caution flag, NASCAR opted against a suspension.

Denny Hamlin admitted that he did not personally analyze the data from the incident but still raised concerns about the fairness of NASCAR’s penalty system.

“I didn’t see the data, I didn’t look at it then, and I frankly didn’t have time to look at it this week, so I don’t know. I don’t know what the intent was. I’d have to investigate, but that’s not my job,” Hamlin added.

Denny Hamlin also suggested that NASCAR’s recent rule changes regarding suspensions and playoff points might have played a role in the decision. Under the new system, a suspended driver loses all playoff points for the regular season. Hamlin implied that this consequence might have made NASCAR more hesitant to issue a suspension.

“Anytime you have a new rule, there’s going to be cause and effect,” Hamlin explained. “Sometimes it’s going to seem worse than it should be, and sometimes it’ll seem like not enough, but that’s where you kind of got to draw the line and say it doesn’t matter what the result is. You know, a foul is a foul.”

In previous cases, NASCAR handed out suspensions for similar actions. An example of the same is when Chase Elliott was suspended for a right-hook maneuver on Hamlin at Charlotte in 2023.

---

Denny Hamlin responds to NASCAR’s countersuit against 23XI Racing

Denny Hamlin has also recently spoken out against NASCAR’s ongoing legal battle with his co-owned team, 23XI Racing. The dispute began when 23XI and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR last year over the new charter agreements. This week, NASCAR escalated the conflict by filing a countersuit against both teams.

Denny Hamlin reacted to a post by veteran journalist Claire B. Lang on X, where she shared statements from NASCAR’s lawyer, Chris Yates. In response, Hamlin wrote,

“You should have a fact checker in the room at all times.”

Among the statements Lang shared, Yates explained why NASCAR is only taking legal action against 23XI and FRM while other teams were not targeted. She shared an explanation from Yates and wrote,

“23XI and Front Row did not sign the agreements, and instead chose to sue NASCAR, alleging baseless monopolization claims. That is why NASCAR is suing 23XI, Front Row, and the person who organized the boycotts and conspiracy, Mr. Polk.”

The countersuit also named Curtis Polk, Michael Jordan’s business partner, and alleged that he attempted to organize a team boycott of meetings and events to push for better charter deals. NASCAR claimed this led to an unfair collaboration among teams.

After Denny Hamlin’s response, Lang, who has covered NASCAR for over 25 years, defended her reporting. She did so by insinuating that she aims to present all perspectives fairly.

“I try hard to fairly put both sides out. I am sure it is hard knowing the inner workings of it all and must be frustrating to read & wanting to say more. You have always been very forthcoming. Pride myself on presenting all sides,” Lang wrote.

With NASCAR’s legal battle with 23XI Racing continuing, Denny Hamlin, who is the co-owner of 23XI Racing in partnership with Michael Jordan, is vocal in challenging the governing body’s decisions both on and off the track.