Denny Hamlin has expressed his surprise at the $50,000 fine and the loss of 25 points imposed on Ryan Preece by NASCAR. The driver believes this decision should be overturned or reduced during the appeals process, but he acknowledges that the scenario is not favorable for Preece.
The penalty against Preece is due to statements made over the radio, which, along with SMT data, led NASCAR to believe there was an intention to collide with Ty Gibbs during the race at Texas Motor Speedway. Preece has stated that he simply did not let Gibbs pass due to their past rivalries.
Hamlin, on his podcast Actions Detrimental, shares a similar opinion to that of Dale Earnhardt Jr., stating that NASCAR’s decision has been wrong. “People think the appeals system is fair, but it is not. This is not documented for a reason,” Hamlin said. According to him, while Preece has a legitimate chance to overturn the penalty based on evidence, the appeals process has serious drawbacks.
Hamlin criticized the use of radio audio as a basis for the penalty, arguing that drivers often make similar comments during races. “The way the audio is used can be confusing. What exactly does it mean when Preece states that ‘he’s done with him’?” he questioned.
Furthermore, Hamlin emphasized NASCAR’s inconsistency, which did not penalize Kyle Busch after a similar maneuver, where the SMT data was interpreted in a way that favored the driver. “Now, SMT is a reliable resource according to their criteria, but previously it wasn’t,” he added, highlighting the double standard in the decisions of the regulatory body.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
