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NASCAR Announces Just One Penalty From Bristol Weekend

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 5:37 PM ET

The NASCAR season keeps rolling along, and last weekend saw the drivers tackle one of the sport's iconic venues at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kyle Larson won in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series races, while Chandler Smith won the Truck Series race to begin the weekend.

After three races, NASCAR has announced a single penalty, and it's being levied against a team in the Xfinity Series. The No. 7 JR Motorsports team of Justin Allgaier will be fined $5,000 for a missing lug nut during Saturday's race.

Much of the discussion coming out of the weekend at Bristol has been about the low quality of racing on display for fans. Bristol is one of NASCAR's most famous tracks, but many fans were dissatisfied with what they saw this weekend.

After the Cup Series race on Sunday, Denny Hamlin noted that fans shouldn't criticize an entire race because a single driver dominated - Larson led 411 laps. After watching the television broadcast of the race, Hamlin had a change of heart.

“Fans are giving me [expletive] because of my interview saying don’t throw mud on it because someone dominated. You got to realize, I’m in a cocoon for 500 laps. All I see is my experience,” Hamlin said.

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - MARCH 22: Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT/TradeMark Nitrogen Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Hard Rock Bet 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 22, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)James Gilbert/Getty Images

“Now, when I went back and watched the race, I hear you. I know it wasn’t good, and I feel your pain. We’re trying to do our best on this show to get someone in NASCAR to listen to us, to make some of these changes and I wish they would call me and say, ‘What would you do?’"

Hamlin noted that he had ideas to improve the racing experience for fans, but noted that NASCAR hasn't shown that it's willing to listen to suggestions. That's even less likely now, as Hamlin's 23XI Racing is involved in an active lawsuit against NASCAR.

It seems that Hamlin will focus on how to improve the sport when he isn't driving, but when he's in the car, winning remains his goal. The No. 11 has multiple wins this season, and he'll look for another when the Cup Series returns on April 27 at Talladega.

Fans can tune in to the race at 3 PM ET on FOX.

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

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