Denny Hamlin enters the second Spherical of the NASCAR Cup Sequence Playoffs because the group seeded driver at 26 factors above the cutline however might lose two of this over-the-wall crewmembers for the following two races at New Hampshire and Kansas.
This is because of an incident on Lap 385 of the Bristol Night time Race on Saturday the place Hamlin misplaced a proper entrance wheel across the time he made contact with AJ Allmendinger — which resulted in a crash and a right away two-lap penalty in opposition to the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing group.
NASCAR guidelines penalize groups that lose wheels on the monitor, and along with being held two laps on pit highway, the Sanctioning Physique would additionally droop two crew members for the infraction.
Denny Hamlin loses a wheel, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures
In actual time, crew chief Chris Gayle tried to make the argument the crash precipitated the dislodged wheel and never the opposite approach round. NASCAR officers didn’t purchase it and a penalty was referred to as and served. After the race, Gayle nonetheless was not prepared to concede.
“We don’t know what occurred but,” Gayle advised Motorsport whereas going by means of the post-race inspection course of. “There was undoubtedly contact with (Allmendinger) and there was contact with the wheel nut on the identical time, and I’ve by no means seen contact like that earlier than, so I’m certain they’ll do extra investigating.
“We’ll see.”
Hamlin addressed it throughout his post-race media scrum too.
“It’s what it’s,” Hamlin stated. “We had been the one automotive on pit highway on the time and sadly, the tire fell off.”
Is he serious about a counterargument or attraction?
“There was clearly a problem with the automotive,” Hamlin stated. “We had simply hit the wall the lap earlier than so I can’t have a look at the suspension and inform if it was broke or not. Definitely, there was one thing there that was out of whack.”
If there’s a penalty, Gayle feels assured that Joe Gibbs Racing can climate it.
“We’re for certain, at all times ready for something which may occur,” Gayle stated. “However for certain, we’ll be ready both approach.”
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