By Sunday 
A Controversial Call Sparks Debate
Denny Hamlin has weighed in on the penalty handed to Austin Cindric after his controversial clash with Ty Dillon during the NASCAR Cup Series race in Phoenix. While some expected harsher consequences, Hamlin believes the punishment—though significant—may not have gone far enough.
The Incident: A Retaliatory Move?
On Lap 4, Cindric retaliated after Dillon pushed him wide, hooking Dillon’s car and sending it hard into the wall. The Kaulig Racing driver suffered major damage, leaving fans expecting NASCAR to issue a one-race suspension. However, the governing body opted for a $50,000 fine and a 50-point deduction instead.
Hamlin, speaking via The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck, admitted he was “expecting a one-race suspension” but acknowledged that the financial and points penalty might still serve as a deterrent.
“I’m glad they did something though,” Hamlin said. “I think 50 points and $50,000 is probably enough to make him think about doing something like that again. But I think a one-race suspension is what most of us expected. They set a standard a couple of years ago.”
The Call for Consistency
Hamlin has long advocated for clearer and more consistent officiating in NASCAR. He noted that penalties should be based on intent rather than the outcome of an incident.
“You just judge intent,” Hamlin explained. “Like I said, I don’t think the result should matter—it’s the intent that really should matter.”
He emphasized that SMT data (NASCAR’s telemetry system) could determine whether Cindric deliberately turned into Dillon, stating, “Looking at SMT data will tell officials exactly what happened. It would show Cindric turning into Dillon and would be an outlier among his other data.”
Still, Hamlin admitted he hadn’t personally reviewed the data, saying, “I didn’t see the data, I didn’t look at it then, and I frankly didn’t have time to look at it this week. So, I don’t know. I don’t know what the intent was. I’d have to investigate it, but that’s not my job.”
Holding NASCAR Accountable
Like Dillon, Hamlin is calling for NASCAR to set firmer, clearer guidelines on penalties. He believes subjective rulings create inconsistencies that frustrate drivers and teams.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s what it’s designed for… Certainly, any time you have a new rule, there’s always going to be cause and effect to it, right?” Hamlin said. “Sometimes it’s going to seem worse than it should be, and sometimes it will seem like not enough. But that’s where you kind of got to draw the line and say it doesn’t matter what the result is, a foul is a foul, a flagrant one is a flagrant one.”
Hamlin’s remarks reflect a growing concern among drivers about NASCAR’s disciplinary system. While Cindric may have escaped a suspension this time, the debate over intent versus impact is far from over.