Denny Hamlin Calls Out NASCAR’s Rulebook With Fresh Texas Decision Critique

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Denny Hamlin Calls Out NASCAR’s Rulebook With Fresh Texas Decision Critique

Originally posted on RFKRacingDigest
By Sabyasachi Biswas | Last updated May 11, 2026 3:35 PM ET

Two different rules for similar incidents in Texas left fans puzzled as they questioned the sanctity of the penalty. While several questions were raised regarding NASCAR’s decision to punish Ryan Preece, Denny Hamlin put up fresh criticism recently, where he put the governing body under crossfire.

“I think no matter what, common sense has to be the first rule of thumb,” Hamlin said, “and then you go from there. Then you use data to either back up or deny common sense.”

Hamlin’s comment comes amid NASCAR’s decision to punish Preece with a $50,000 fine and 25 points deduction after he pushed Ty Gibbs during the Wurth 400 at the Texas Motor Speedway on May 3.

Denny Hamlin was among those who thought Ryan Preece wouldn't be penalized and Kyle Busch could be. Hamlin said in addition to SMT data, common sense should be considered (he did say he doesn't have all the info NASCAR has in making the decision). @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/chZZg8QbiW
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 10, 2026

However, he also argued that common sense should be practiced, given how Kyle Busch evaded getting penalized despite having committed a similar incident at the same race, where he nudged John Hunter Nemechek in the dying stages of the race.

Denny Hamlin, who also faced a similar penalty in 2023, knows how difficult the penalty gets at times, especially when points become too important throughout the season. Interestingly, the NASCAR boss justified Preece’s penalty using Hamlin’s incident.

NASCAR boss explained why they penalized Ryan Preece

Following the penalty and the chaos, Mike Forde came to the forefront to justify the penalty. Speaking about how they took inspiration from Denny Hamlin’s 2023 incident and the SMT data, here’s what he told the media:

“We do look at all available resources, whether that’s the video, in-car audio, SMT data,” Forde said. “And really what this came down to is … (Preece) said what he said, and then he did what he said. And so in our view, it was intentionally wrecking another vehicle.”

Interestingly, Forde also concluded that Kyle Busch’s SMT data did not show that it was an intentional collision with Legacy Motor Club driver John Hunter Nemechek. As a result, they refrained from penalizing the Richard Childress Racing driver.

This article first appeared on RFKRacingDigest and was syndicated with permission.

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