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Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR Driver Disqualified Post Charlotte Inspection After 23XI’s Playoff Debacle

Originally posted on EssentiallySports
By Jahnavi Sonchhatra | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 10:43 PM ET

While Denny Hamlin is busy defending his 23XI Racing team off the track, Riley Herbst, the Cup Series rookie, had a hellish weekend. After post-race inspection at Charlotte Motor Speedway, NASCAR confirmed that Herbst had been disqualified from the Bank of America ROVAL 400 for failing post-race weights.

Herbst, who drives for 23XI Racing, originally crossed the start-finish line with a 30th-place finish in the 109-lap event around the 2.28-mile road course, but with the disqualification, the Las Vegas native will be dropped to 37th. The disqualification costs Herbst 6 Cup Series championship points and does not affect the playoff outcome, which had already eliminated four drivers at the checkered.

Only a few drivers – Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Josh Bilicki, Cody Ware, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Cindric- move up a single position as a result, with Cindric being the only playoff driver impacted. However, the minor gain is insufficient to alter his must-win situation or advance him to the next round, dramatically ending his playoff hopes.

NEWS: The No. 88 car clears post-race inspection at @CLTMotorSpdwy. The win is official for @shanevg97!

The No. 35 car has been disqualified for failing post-race weights. There are no changes to the Round of 8 drivers. pic.twitter.com/CO24WBMXIP

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 6, 2025

Herbst’s weekend had already been challenging. During Saturday practice, the 26-year-old driver snapped loose entering Turn 5 and slammed the tire barriers, nearly flipping before being ejected back onto the track.

Remarkably, the car returned for additional practice laps and a qualifying attempt, where Herbst earned a 33rd-place starting position. In his rookie Cup Series season with 23XI Racing, Herbst has struggled, recording no top 10 finishes in 32 starts and an average finish of 26.3 with a best result of 14th at Texas in the spring.

And this is the last thing 23XI Racing needs right now. As the NASCAR lawsuit takes an ugly turn with summary judgments issued by NASCAR, calling out 23XI Racing’s “bruised ego” and “greed,” all eyes will be on Hamlin’s team as the battle continues.

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

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