Hamlin’s Crew too Serve suspension during Upcoming Races
CONCORD, NC – Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team will serve the suspensions of two key pit crew members during the upcoming races at Kansas Speedway and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. The decision comes after NASCAR suspended ‘Joel B’ Bouagnon and Austin Maloney following a lost right front wheel during Saturday’s Bristol Night Race.
NASCAR implemented the wheel-tightening safety rule to prevent wheels from becoming loose and creating dangerous projectiles during competition. The penalty against Hamlin’s crew is in line with this enforcement.
While NASCAR allows teams to promptly begin serving suspensions, the No. 11 team opted to defer the penalty for up to one week, a strategic move permitted by NASCAR rules. This deferral prevents potential appeals that could be dropped after a single race weekend, streamlining the process.
The team may view this weekend’s race, the opening event of the second round of the playoffs, as a crucial opportunity to secure a win or accumulate points, possibly lessening the impact of the suspensions at Kansas and the ROVAL. Notably, Hamlin historically performs less strongly on road courses, making the absence of his full pit crew during the ROVAL race less impactful.
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