Denny Hamlin‘s highway to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Collection championship has simply gotten a little bit harder.
On Thursday, Hamlin and the No. 11 crew have been docked 75 factors and 10 playoff factors after reportedly tearing down the engine from their Bristol win on March 17 after its subsequent scheduled use.
Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, has additionally been fined $100K.
The penalty drops Hamlin from third to sixth within the Cup Collection factors standings, whereas additionally giving Hamlin simply 11 playoff factors to work with.
In keeping with Fox Sports activities’ Bob Pockrass, Toyota Racing Growth self-reported the transgression to NASCAR.
With solely two races remaining earlier than the playoffs start, the lack of each playoff and regular-season factors is a vital blow for Hamlin, who remains to be in search of his first Cup Collection championship.
Hamlin will now need to work a little bit more durable to advance from spherical to spherical within the playoffs, and shedding the common season factors has the potential to lose Hamlin much more playoff factors.
Because the Cup Collection heads to Daytona and Darlington to shut out the season, the depth will ratchet up for Hamlin, who’s now trying to regain the factors he misplaced and seize two extra wins.
Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona will go inexperienced shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
