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NASCAR: How Denny Hamlin’s penalty could eliminate Kyle Larson

BBG News

As a seasoned NASCAR enthusiast with years of racing passion under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of intrigue and frustration over the recent turn of events. The fate of one driver could potentially hinge on a penalty issued five months ago, which seems almost surreal.

Approximately 5 months following his win at Bristol Motor Speedway in March, Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing received a significant punishment from NASCAR due to that triumphant race.

Toyota admitted a technical violation concerning an engine, which caused Denny Hamlin to lose a total of 85 points in both the regular season and playoffs. Unfortunately, before NASCAR had a chance to examine the winning engine from his Bristol race, Toyota mistakenly rebuilt it, leading to this penalty.

Due to the penalty that resulted in a 75-point deduction for Hamlin during the regular season, he ended up losing 13 playoff points instead of just 10. This means his total decreased more significantly than initially expected. Moreover, three drivers – Christopher Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing, William Byron at Hendrick Motorsports, and Ryan Blaney with Team Penske – each moved up a position, earning an extra playoff point for their efforts.

So how does Kyle Larson fit into the equation?

Joey Logano from Team Penske and Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing have secured their spots in the Championship Final, with Logano clinching victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to kick off the playoff round eight, and Reddick winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Sunday’s race.

Leading the standings is Bell, who holds a 22-point advantage over Byron. At present, Byron finds himself in fourth position, just above the cutoff for the Championship 4, with only the race scheduled for this Sunday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway left before the championship-deciding event at Phoenix Raceway.

Currently, Byron is leading Larson by seven points for the fourth and final spot, as he has accumulated 4,110 points. However, if Hamlin hadn’t received a penalty, Byron would have had one fewer playoff point, starting the round of 8 with 4,109 points instead. This means that Byron’s position wouldn’t have changed, but his total points would be six less than Larson’s.

As a gamer, I can say that just like in my intense multiplayer matches where the final score is often decided by a single point, in this competition, Byron might have edged out his teammate thanks to the additional point he got from Hamlin’s penalty. This single point could be what tips the scales in his favor for advancing to the next round.

It’s not a statistical likelihood, but like we say every year and every round, every point counts.

If Hamlin’s penalty from the March race ultimately proves to be the reason behind Larson’s failure to qualify for the Championship 4, then that outcome would be especially accurate.

Don’t forget to catch the live broadcast of the Xfinity 500 this Sunday, November 3rd at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC! To ensure you don’t miss out on the final NASCAR Cup Series race before the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway, sign up for a free trial of FuboTV today!

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2024-11-01 15:02

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