[autotag]Denny Hamlin[/autotag] won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, but it wasn’t without controversy. After the race, Martin Truex Jr. accused Hamlin of jumping the restart, and based on the replays, this appears to be the case. According to the No. 11 car’s onboard camera, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver accelerated before the restart zone and wasn’t penalized.
Following the event, NASCAR Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer discussed the final restart and gave his take on the situation. According to Sawyer, NASCAR didn’t have a problem with Hamlin.
Did he go early? A closer look at the final restart in Richmond. https://t.co/IacC99nKQk pic.twitter.com/dGjWqT36Z9
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 1, 2024
“We reviewed [the final restart], we looked at it,” Sawyer said. “Obviously, [Denny Hamlin] was the control vehicle. It was awful close, but we deemed it to be a good restart.”
It is surprising to hear Sawyer’s comments because the onboard cameras easily show Hamlin jumping the restart. There is nothing NASCAR can do about it now, but the No. 11 car did earn the win on pit road after a sensational pit stop. Hamlin still has two wins to start the 2024 season, but the race at Richmond will be talked about for a long time.
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