Hamlin fined following Phoenix post-race comments

Following Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, Denny Hamlin made comments regarding NASCAR’s new “Gen-6″ racecar. Comments now which the driver has been fined $25,000 for.

“While NASCAR gives its competitors ample leeway in voicing their opinions when it comes to a wide range of aspects about the sport, the sanctioning body will not tolerate publicly made comments by its drivers that denigrate the racing product.”

After coming to the checkered flag side-by-side with Jimmie Johnson, Hamlin made comments on the difficulty to pass with the new racecar.

“I hate to be Denny Downer, but I just didn’t pass that many cars today,” said Hamlin after the race on Sunday to the Fox television cameras. “[The Gen-6] is like what the Generation 5 was at the beginning. That’s the realistic fact of it.”

Hamlin also continued to say that the generation five cars raced better than the current product, the new “Gen-6”.

NASCAR never stated what specific comments Hamlin was fined for, but according to the release, the comments violated section 12-1, also known as “actions detrimental to stock car racing.”

This isn’t the first time NASCAR has fined Hamlin for things said post-race. In June,2010 following a race at Michigan International Speedway, Hamlin made remarks on Twitter which he was fined $50,000.

Official Release from NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 7, 2013) – NASCAR has fined driver Denny Hamlin $25,000 for comments he made following the March 3 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway.

NASCAR determined that Hamlin violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book.

NASCAR issued the following statement regarding the penalty:

“Following the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event last Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, Denny Hamlin made some disparaging remarks about the on-track racing that had taken place that afternoon. While NASCAR gives its competitors ample leeway in voicing their opinions when it comes to a wide range of aspects about the sport, the sanctioning body will not tolerate publicly made comments by its drivers that denigrate the racing product.”