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Denny Hamlin Is Furious With NASCAR Over Controversial Rule

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 10:11 AM ET

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series must truly be upon us because Denny Hamlin is already complaining about controversial NASCAR rules.

On the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin went off on the open exemption provisional rule, which allows a 41st spot on raceday to go to a drive from another series to compete even if they didn't qualify through the regular NASCAR procedures. Sunday's Daytona 500 will see four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves compete in his first-ever NASCAR race under this rule.

But Hamlin isn't a fan of the rule. On Actions Detrimental, he said that people from non-NASCAR circuits should have to qualify the way everyone else does if they want to compete. He was upset at the notion that even people with little to no NASCAR experience could compete on Sundays.

“My opinion on this was that it was desperate. I didn’t like it,” Hamlin said. “Just thought that you’re really doing everything you can to try to get a headline. And I still believe it to be true. NASCAR is the highest form of motorsports in the U.S., so why can’t we act like the big boys and say, ‘If you wanna come over here and run with us, show me what you got. Go qualify in the race.’ It won’t be that hard and to me as a car owner, we just talked about these playoff scenarios in which things can happen. Things out of your control can happen.

“I was one David Starr brake rotor away from winning a championship in Phoenix one year, but that’s the breaks… Now you’re just saying (expletive) Tom Cruise can go in there and just because he said he raced in Days of Thunder, can come in there and compete on Sunday with the big boys. I don’t agree with that. It’s just my opinion on it."

But Hamlin made it clear that he doesn't have anything personally against Castroneves as he tries to compete. He said that he loves the four-time Indy 500 winner's attitude and hopes that his fans will tune in to the Daytona 500 because of him. Nevertheless, he feels that it hurts "the Dam of Legitimacy."

“After the duel, you think Castroneves is gonna be jumping for joy? No, he will not be, he knows he’s in the race,” Hamlin said. “… This is not an indictment on him whatsoever. I hate that he’s getting the brunt of this because he had no role in this whatsoever. I love him and his attitude. Hope some of his avid fans come watch the Daytona 500 because you wouldn’t have otherwise.

“That’s what this is trying to do is maybe you get some new eyeballs to follow this person and tune in to see how they do and maybe you can keep them latched on for a longer period. That’s what this is aimed to do. And I understand that. I just think you put a crack in the Dam of Legitimacy. I believe it does.”

Do you agree with Hamlin?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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