Denny Hamlin’s night at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday turned sour after his No. 11 Toyota suffered a right-front wheel detachment on Lap 384, triggering a collision with AJ Allmendinger’s car and resulting in a significant penalty. This incident cut short what had been a strong performance, casting doubt on the reliability of the Next Gen car’s wheel design amid growing scrutiny.
Hamlin’s Race Progress and Sudden Trouble
Riding momentum from his recent victory at Gateway, Hamlin started the Bass Pro Shops Night Race in sixth place and maintained a competitive pace throughout. He consistently placed within the top 10 and secured a 10th place finish in Stage 2, positioning himself as a serious contender for the final segment.
However, just as the race neared its conclusion, the failure of the wheel led to a violent crash in Turn 4. The detached wheel forced race officials to deploy the 13th caution, and Hamlin was immediately assessed a two-lap penalty due to the safety hazard posed by the loose wheel. Despite crew chief Chris Gayle’s claim that contact might have caused the lug nut to loosen beforehand, NASCAR denied appeals to reconsider the sanction.
Chris Gayle tells Denny Hamlin they think the contact is what led to the wheel coming off, but “nobody (from NASCAR) wants to hear that right now.”
— Jeff Gluck, NASCAR Reporter
The crash inflicted severe damage on Hamlin’s car, forcing him to head to the garage and finish in 31st place, a last-minute reversal from his solid run earlier in the race.
Fan Backlash Over Penalty and Next Gen Car Design
The penalty’s timing, combined with Hamlin’s playoff standing, sparked swift outrage among fans across social media platforms. Many questioned NASCAR’s decision to penalize Hamlin and reignited criticism of the Next Gen car’s single-lug wheel system, which has been under fire for mechanical failures dating back to its 2022 introduction.
Supporters of Hamlin argued the wheel nut failure was caused by contact on the track, not negligence from the team or pit crew. Numerous fans expressed frustration that Hamlin was punished for a flaw they believe is rooted in the car’s design rather than driver error.
In the stands and the replay on the big screen it was pretty clear the nut got sheared off by thr contact, would suck for the 11 team to be punished for yet another design flaw in the car
— FailEarnhardtJr1-8, NASCAR Fan
Some fans suggested NASCAR’s decision was influenced by existing tensions with Hamlin, claiming bias in how strictly penalties are enforced against him.
nascar won’t think twice because it’s Denny
— Anonymous Fan
Another fan underscored that the fault lay with Hamlin’s competitors, pointing out sparks and contact before the wheel failure.
Sparks on track before contact. It was their fault and they know it,
— Racing Enthusiast
Further frustration came from perceptions that Hamlin was not given the benefit of the doubt in this situation.
You know NASCAR isn’t going to give Denny the benefit of the doubt on anything right now
— Disappointed Supporter
Continuing Debate Over Next Gen Car Safety and Penalties
Hamlin’s incident has once again highlighted the contentious issues surrounding NASCAR’s Next Gen vehicle design, specifically the single-lug wheel system that many claim is vulnerable to failures outside of team control. Since its rollout, this feature has repeatedly led to wheel detachments, causing safety risks for drivers and costly penalties for teams.
NASCAR maintains that strict enforcement of penalties for wheel problems is necessary to ensure safe pit stops and deter errors, but critics argue that the car’s inherent fragility often results in unfair punishments. The Bristol incident with Hamlin underscores the ongoing tension between safety protocols and engineering challenges within the sport.
This controversy is likely to pressure NASCAR and teams to further assess and potentially improve wheel design standards to prevent similar incidents. With Hamlin’s playoff prospects impacted and fan dissatisfaction growing, the debate over the Next Gen car’s reliability will remain a key storyline as the season advances.
