While chasing a NASCAR championship, Denny Hamlin received a devastating penalty.
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Denny Hamlin dealt crippling penalty amid NASCAR championship hunt

Denny Hamlin’s road to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship has just gotten a little tougher.

Big Penalty: Denny Hamlin and team have been docked 75 points and 10 playoff points, Chris Gabehart fined $100K. Team disassembled Bristol winning engine before being torn down after its next scheduled use. TRD self-reported the violation.

On Thursday, Hamlin and the No. 11 team were docked 75 points and 10 playoff points after reportedly tearing down the engine from their Bristol win on March 17 after its next scheduled use.

Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, has also been fined $100K.

The penalty drops Hamlin from third to sixth in the Cup Series points standings, while also giving Hamlin just 11 playoff points to work with.

With the penalty, Hamlin drops from third to sixth in the Cup standings and his playoff points go from 21 to 11 (not including where he would/will finish in the regular-season standings).

According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Toyota Racing Development self-reported the transgression to NASCAR.

With only two races remaining before the playoffs begin, the loss of both playoff and regular-season points is a critical blow for Hamlin, who is still seeking his first Cup Series championship.

Hamlin will now have to work a little harder to advance from round to round in the playoffs, and losing the regular season points has the potential to lose Hamlin even more playoff points.

As the Cup Series heads to Daytona and Darlington to close out the season, the intensity will ratchet up for Hamlin, who is now looking to regain the points he lost and grab two more wins.

Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona will go green shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.