Denny Hamlin Defends Ryan Preece’s Outrage Over All-Star Weekend Incident
NASCAR drama unfolded during the All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway when Ryan Preece faced a heartbreaking penalty that knocked him out of contention. Denny Hamlin, known for his unfiltered opinions, didn’t shy away from supporting Preece’s frustration on his podcast, Actions Detrimental.
Hamlin emphasized Preece’s right to be upset, attributing the penalty to the ambiguous view of the restart commitment box. The RFK Racing driver, running a strong second position with only 17 laps remaining, was penalized for crossing the restart box, a critical error caused by poor visibility in the dark conditions.
In a bold statement, Hamlin expressed, “Preece absolutely has a bitch about it, and that is that you couldn’t see the damn thing.” He detailed his own struggle with visibility the night before, highlighting the challenging track conditions exacerbated by the darkness and downhill slope into turn one.
The controversy surrounding Preece’s penalty raised questions about the visibility of the restart commitment box, with Hamlin admitting his awareness of the issue but choosing to remain silent. “Never interrupt your competition while they’re making a mistake,” Hamlin asserted, hinting at a strategic advantage in the cutthroat world of NASCAR.
Following the race, Preece didn’t mince words when discussing the penalty that shattered his All-Star Race dreams. The frustrated driver lamented the near-invisibility of the restart commitment box from inside the car, calling for clearer markers such as cones to aid drivers in such high-stakes situations.
Despite feeling confident in his No. 60 Ford Mustang’s performance, Preece was left disheartened by the penalty that relegated him to an 11th place finish. NASCAR responded promptly by repainting the restart box, acknowledging the role of faded markings from previous races in the confusion faced by drivers like Preece.
As Preece gears up for the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the spotlight remains on NASCAR’s commitment to ensuring fair competition and addressing visibility challenges to prevent similar controversies in the future.