Fans Left Fuming As Denny Hamlin Faces ‘Unexpected’ NASCAR Penalty After Bristol Mishap

The NASCAR charter drama just hit another gear on September 12. Denny Hamlin and the 23XI Racing group have officially filed for summary judgment in the ongoing charter lawsuit, a bold move that could reshape how team ownership works in the sport. The case has been hanging over the Cup Series all season, with teams pushing for a more permanent and equitable charter system, while NASCAR has been playing hardball at the negotiation table.

The legal battle has divided fans and sparked heated debates about the future of the sport. And now, in true NASCAR fashion, it’s even spilling over onto race weekends. And while the courtroom fight continues, Denny Hamlin found himself at the center of another storm, this time on the track.

Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Bristol race turns chaotic after wheel failure

Denny Hamlin rolled into Bristol brimming with confidence, riding high after his clutch win at Gateway that secured his spot in the Round of 12. Lining up 6th for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, he kept his No. 11 Toyota consistently in the mix, running top-10 laps and scoring a respectable 10th-place finish in Stage 2. For most of the night, Hamlin looked calm, collected, and poised to cruise to a solid result.

But Bristol has a way of turning smooth nights into heartbreak. On Lap 384, disaster struck when Hamlin’s right-front wheel detached in Turn 4, sending him hard into AJ Allmendinger’s car. This resulted in a two-lap penalty for Hamlin, while his crew chief, Chris Gayle, suggested the contact may have caused the wheel to come loose, but he admitted, “nobody (from NASCAR) wants to hear that right now.”

The contact triggered another caution, the 13th of the night, and even caught William Byron in the chaos. The incident left Hamlin’s car with terminal damage and forced him to the garage, ultimately leaving him with a disappointing 31st-place finish. Speaking with @WendyVenturini after the race, Denny Hamlin summed up the NASCAR Bristol race bluntly:

“It’s a different race than what we planned on. It didn’t work with our setup. We didn’t have anything go our way, truthfully. Certainly a night to forget.” While the result doesn’t threaten his playoff position thanks to his Gateway win, it was far from the momentum-builder he expected heading into the Round of 12.

Fans wasted no time flooding social media with hot takes, sparking a heated debate. Some rushed to defend Hamlin, pointing to the freak nature of the wheel failure, while others blasted NASCAR’s officiating system (given the lawsuit between the two parties). The conversation quickly turned fiery, setting up a storm of fan reactions that followed.

Fans add fuel to the fire

Denny Hamlin’s incident at the NASCAR Bristol race has reignited controversy and suspicion among fans, many of whom believe secondary motivations may be at play. Social media lit up with claims like, “NASCAR not wanting to hear anything to do with @dennyhamlin?! Shocker,” reflecting a widespread sentiment that the organization’s disciplinary decisions against the team are influenced by Hamlin’s ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR. Hamlin and Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing remain at the heart of a complex federal antitrust case that could redefine the sport’s charter system.

Some fans argued that “NASCAR is giving 23XI new things to use against them” as the December trial approaches. The lawsuit has turned ugly in recent times as both parties have used every means possible to gain the upper hand. For instance, NASCAR publicly leaked Michael Jordan & Denny Hamlin’s explicit texts.

Others point to what they perceive as NASCAR’s hypocrisy, mocking them with statements like “bUt We ArE nOt A mOnOpOlY” while noting its powerful grip on race operations, charter control, and everything NASCAR. Furthermore, accusations of bias and punitive action, “They don’t care. Any chance to f— Denny for suing them. Gestapo NASCAR in action,” highlight how the sport’s legal drama is shaping perceptions of fairness both on and off the track.

Lastly, Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gayle, has also become part of the conversation. “Gayle doesn’t want a couple weeks off while Gabehart comes in?” joked a fan, referencing NASCAR’s rule of suspending crew members for detached wheels. In NASCAR, a loose wheel penalty typically involves a two-lap penalty for the driver and a two-race suspension for two pit crew members responsible for installing the wheel, and even crew chiefs.

Whether it is a conspiracy theory or a sharp observation, the reaction from the NASCAR world shows just how much the lawsuit is coloring public perception. The court case and the on-track calls seem to be bleeding into one another, at least in the eyes of fans, creating a tense backdrop as the playoffs heat up.