NASCAR News: Race officials hammer Hamlin's #11 team

FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass has reported that Joe Gibbs Racing has deferred the suspension of Denny Hamlin’s crew members for the loss of a wheel at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Hamlin will have his regular crew for New Hampshire and then have two replacement crew members for Kansas and Charlotte road course.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 King’s Hawaiian Pretzel Bites Toyota, drives during preparation for the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 13, 2025 in Bristol, Tennessee. Image courtesy of Joe Gibbs Racing.

September 17, 2025

NASCAR has suspended two Joe Gibbs Racing crew members for two races following a safety violation during the Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway, where a wheel came off Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota.

The incident occurred on lap 384 of the 500-lap Bass Pro Shops Night Race when Hamlin’s right-front wheel detached after contact with AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, triggering the 13th of 14 caution flags. Hamlin received a two-lap penalty during the caution and finished 31st, five laps down.

On Tuesday, NASCAR finalized the penalties, suspending front-tire changer Austin Maloney and jackman Joel Bouagnon for two races: this weekend’s event at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the September 28 race at Kansas Speedway. However, a new 2025 rule allows Joe Gibbs Racing to defer the suspensions for one week. If approved, the suspensions would begin at Kansas and extend through the October 5 Round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.

Mike Forde, NASCAR’s managing director of racing communications, explained on the “Hauler Talk” podcast: “For non-behavioral penalties, teams can request a deferral for the next event. The appeals administrator typically grants these requests with a near 100% success rate.”

Hamlin, a five-time Cup Series winner this season, advanced through the playoffs’ opening round with a victory at World Wide Technology Raceway on September 7. He leads the re-seeded Round of 12 standings, 26 points above the cutline. A three-time winner at New Hampshire, Hamlin will compete in Sunday’s Mobil 1 301 (2 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

Additionally, NASCAR confirmed that the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet and No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet passed post-race inspections at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina, on Tuesday.