Denny Hamlin and NASCAR Get Into It

So here's the deal ... on Thursday NASCAR driver Denny Hamilin said something -- what he said is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS -- and got fined $25 LARGE ($25,000) by NASCAR for comments discourteous to NASCAR or something. Well, Denny was NOT hip to that, and said he ain't paying, and issued this statement via Twitter late Thursday:

"The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that the simple fact of us not even having a conversation about this issue before I was hit with a fine has something to say about our relationship. What I said was 1 sentence taken completely out of context. Most drivers will tell you that we constantly have our AND nascars best interest in mind when speaking. On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today and someone telling me that I can give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me. Since being fined in 2010 I have been a lot more careful about what I say to media and I felt this past weekend felt completely in my rights to give a assessment of the question asked. I feel as if today NASCAR lost one of its biggest supporters vocally of where our sport is headed. So in the end there are no winners. I said today I would not pay the fine. I stand by that and will go through the process of appealing. Trust me, this is not about the money.. It's much deeper. I will now shift my focus on giving FedEx and my team what they deserve this weekend, a win."

Here's the thing: NASCAR needs to calm the F down. Dude, seriously, fining drivers for saying whatever ... like the Gen 6 car isn't PERFECT and may even (gasp) be inferior to the Gen 5 car in some ways or whatever the hell Hamlin allegedly said? Seriously? Grow a set, NASCAR. "Controlling the message" doesn't mean smacking any whiff of disagreement.

I was glad to see some push back from fans via Twitter on this whole goofy deal. A little dissent within the ranks is not a bad thing. It's a good thing. Stick it to the man, Denny.

Comments

[Ted Wolfram]

NASCAR stepped in the doggie-do....They would be wise to hear Denny's appeal; decide that THEY had mis-understood what Denny was saying....and rescind the fine apologize for ever issuing it.

Because if they don't this will have legs, and except for DW every other racing fan and any announcer with a set bigger than mustard seeds....will agree that Denny did NO wrong.

I'd love to see some other drivers either refuse to talk to the press...(think of the mess if Dancia refused an interview!!) or back Denny.

His comments were a "tempest in a teapot", until NASCAR got it's knickers in a twist...now it is a Hurricane!!

I remember when Smokey Yunick found out Big Bill had sold him stock in the Daytona track, and then sold it to someone from a car company for half the price per share. Smokey told Bill to stick NASCAR where the sun don't shine...and quit NASCAR. Big Bill told Smokey he'd be back. Smokey never did!!

[Scott]

I think Nascar should have "called him to the trailer" rather than slapping down a fine out of the box, but I do think Hamlin stepped over the line of being smart.

This isn't a case of Nascar not allowing anything negative to be said. There were a number of drivers who talked about it being hard to pass with the new car, and they didn't get fined. I would guess largely because they put their negative comments about the car in some kind of context. Whether it was a comparison to previous races at Phoenix, or a comparision to learning the CoT, or talking about the impact of the current tire. That context is important, especially for a sport trying to attract new fans who don't have the experience to put comments like Hamlin's in context by themselves.

[GeorgeK]

Denny said: "On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today...."

Keep tilting at the NASCAR windmill Don Quixote and you'll find yourself back at the bottom looking up!

There's a 900 Lb. gorilla in this struggle and it's not Denny!

[vern]

Bottom line--Nascar has its own rules and that doesnt include "freedom of speach". Denny duidnt say anything that other drivers arent thinking as well about the new car and others like Brad k, has said worse in my opinion and got away with it as Nascar picks and chooses who to punish. Has a driver ever taken this thing to a high court I wonder or would it be that hard to fight as their basic rights are involved here to a point? Guess we'll see what happens and if Denny stands his ground refusing to pay or if Nascar relents on it knowing how popular Denny is and they cant afford this negativity, but it is Nascar and if you sign up--you agree to forfeit the right to speak your opinion--good grief.

[Buford]

These NASCAB fans rite english reel good.

[Ted Wolfram]

Buford...LOL..I presume you are either an F1 or IndyCar fan.

Since I follow all forms of racing, I find humor in the opinion of those that follow just one or two types of racing. F1 fans talk "long shit" about the cars, but if you asked them to change a spark club...they would blanch and call "their mechanic'.

The IndyCar fan of today thinks that "spec" racing is exciting and continue to say..."If only TG hadn't................"!

The NASCAR fan likes to dumb it down...you understand....drink beer, fart, pee on the tire of their pick-up truck, and pretend that telling stories about how they went, "huntin in that there swamp", "and killed themselves a Gator"....when at home if their wife tells them to "Shut the [email protected]#% up".....they say, "Yes honey"!

OK where do you fit?

[justsaying]

This whole "women of pressdog" makes you seem like a stalker, creeper to the casual reader like myself.

Just saying...

[pressdog]

I disagree, obviously, justsaying. If you read my interviews with these women you'll see they're about everything but their appearance. The Women of pressdog is my effort to promote women in racing and motivated by my desire for my two daughters not to limit their career aspirations based on gender stereotypes. I think of it as a proud uncle kind of vibe.

[Just Sayin]

Pressdog. I retract my previous statement. My apologies and carry on or Drink Ye Bastard.

Just Sayin

[pressdog]

I think it's the "Women of" thing that gives a little stalker vibe. If you think of "pressdog" as this site and not me, that's what I was going for. Damn porn mags with their "Women of Florida State" or whatever are killing my schwerve! Too late to change now ...

[pressdog]

The bright side: at this point Denny has gotten far more than $25,000 worth of publicity (mostly positive) out of the situation, so there's that.