Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota went for a spin during green flag pit stops of Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Hamlin, part of a seven-car pack to hit pit road at once, got loose while deaccelerating to pit road speed and made slight contact with John Hunter Nemechek. Hamlin told his team he hit a puddle coming onto pit road, thus causing his spin.
Hamlin, looking for his third win of the season, started the race 23rd. He currently sits third in the points standings with his wins coming at Bristol and Richmond.
Denny Hamlin stands up for scoring pylons at race tracks: ‘It’s important for race fans’
Off the track, Hamlin has been vocal with his displeasure of NASCAR removing the scoring pylons at Texas and now at Talladega. The scoring pylons help fans attending races identify where their favorite driver is on the racetrack. Hamlin believes their removal is doing a disservice to fans.
“I did talk to [Chief Track Properties Officer] Chip [Wile] and he says that, you know, they did think it through, but they figured the scoring pylons only service those in the infield, it doesn’t serve those that are in the stands,” Hamlin said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “I don’t know about that. So, certainly, we know it’s important for race fans, because you know they put it on TV for you for the millions that do watch at home. You want to be able to see where your driver is at and I think that’s why it’s important.
“Not only that, that’s what a racetrack is. I think taking these down it’s just not as good. Every time I go through a tunnel, and it might be just me, first thing I do is look at a scoring pylon to figure who’s where and what. So, it’s a, I don’t know, maybe more of a sentimental thing from a purist like myself. But every track has its own ideas and we’ve seen it over time. It started with Bristol taking some out, then it was Watkins Glen I noticed, obviously last week, and now this week. So, hopefully, it’s not a trend.”
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