“This is every cutoff race problem”: Denny Hamlin blasts NASCAR’s ‘format’ for allegedly producing scandalous Martinsville elimination race

Denny Hamlin has criticized NASCAR's playoff format following the controversies that brewed after the Martinsville race. During the Round of 8 elimination battle, it was said that Chevrolet teammates Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon allegedly helped William Byron punch his Championship 4 ticket.

Byron was eliminated after the XFINITY 500 race. But Christopher Bell's wall ride attracted severe penalties, removing the Joe Gibbs Racing driver from the playoffs and making way for the Hendrick Motorsports rival in the title fight.

However, following the 500-lap battle, radio communication between Dillon and Chastain did rounds in the community, hinting towards race manipulation, wherein the Chevy allegedly tried to put at least one of their cars in the Phoenix race. Hamlin voiced his concern about the same and took a jibe at NASCAR's knockout playoff format.

The JGR driver said (via Dirty Mo Media).

"I can't emphasize enough that this is not just a Martinsville problem, this is every cutoff race problem. It's the format. I hate to say this is the format because you've only got a three-race season. So, it's always like NASCAR manufacturers that we're going to make these points keep resetting and tighten them up and tighten up the restart, we're going to tighten it up."

He added:

"It creates these moments, especially during the cut-off races where you see this stuff goes on,"

According to the system introduced in 2014, the 10-race playoff slate is divided into four rounds with three races each, except the finale at Phoenix Raceway. The race-winner in every round automatically advances to the next round and the points are reset after every three races.

As a result, the third race of each round, also known as the cutoff race, witnesses incidents where OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) teammates apparently aid the driver in having a shot at advancement.

Notably, Byron was the only HMS driver who entered the Martinsville race above the cutline. He thus was at higher odds than Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott in safeguarding his title fight ticket.

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"They were not involved whatsoever": Denny Hamlin defends Toyota amid getting scrutinized for alleged race manipulation

Neither of the JGR drivers- Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin- made it to the Final four and got eliminated following their P22 and P5 finishes, respectively at the 0.526-mile oval.

Not only did the Chevrolet drivers come under the scanner for allegedly teaming up for Byron's glory but Toyota drivers Bubba Wallace and Bell also attracted attention for a supposed race manipulation. The incident occurred on the final lap, where Wallace seemingly suddenly slowed down, letting the #20 JGR rival and Toyota teammate pass.

However, Denny Hamlin was extremely clear about the Japanese manufacturer's clean racing during the 35th Cup Series race weekend. He said.

"The only thing I can tell you for a fact because I am part of Toyota Racing. Toyota Racing never, not once this week, told 23XI to do anything for JGR. They were not involved whatsoever," Denny Hamlin said via Dirty Mo Media.

Tyler Reddick is the lone Toyota driver in the playoffs. Ford has two drivers, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, while Chevrolet has William Byron.