Denny Hamlin emphatically declares Austin Dillon's wrecks at Richmond were 'over the line'

Denny Hamlin said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast that Austin Dillon’s double dump of he and Joey Logano on the final lap of Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway was “over the line,” urging NASCAR to take action against the Richard Childress Racing driver.

Hamlin, who was put into the wall by Dillon as the two approached the start-finish line, questioned why NASCAR has rules in place to prevent drivers from “getting out of control on the racetrack” if they’re not going to enforce them.

Denny Hamlin furious with NASCAR not enforcing rulebook

“In a major sport because we like to put ourselves in an upper echelon of sports in the world, you have officiating for a reason,” Hamlin said. “I just don’t know why we’ve allowed it to get this bad over time. And I believe you have a responsibility as a sanctioning body to set an example not only for your competitors but the people coming through the ranks to say, ‘This is how we professionally race. This is how racing goes.’ … Let me ask a question: If this is not over the line, then what is over the line? … He did not try to make a corner. He just drove until he wrecked him [Logano]. Kept going until he wrecked him.

“… It’s a grey area but I have the rules right here. ‘General scope of penalties the NASCAR deterrent system. NASCAR may issue penalties as it deems fit to provide orderly conduct of the sport. Such determinations may be made by NASCAR before, during or after an event and may consider’ and this is highlighted, ‘to the extent deemed reasonable by NASCAR in the interest of racing competition and fairness. Any modifications caused or required as a result of damage caused by in-race instances.’ So, there are rules.

“… It’s called a deterrent system to keep us within parameters of not getting out of control on the racetrack. And if this is OK, if NASCAR… didn’t rule on it yesterday, if they don’t rule on it today, they don’t rule on it tomorrow, tell me then what is unacceptable. Just crashing someone under caution? Are you saying you can do whatever you want on the racetrack, and it will be no penalty whatsoever? Like, how can you ever take us seriously?”

Austin Dillon playoff bound after wrecking Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin

Dillon had everything to gain by taking out Logano and Hamlin. He entered Sunday’s race 32nd in the points standings, well out of playoff contention. But now, Dillon is postseason bound. He will be a part of the 16-driver field barring NASCAR making a decision to take his win away. A report on any penalties from the incidents is expected to come Tuesday.

The other side of this is Hamlin’s standing as a car owner. The 23XI Racing co-owner doesn’t appreciate the message being sent by the sanctioning body if it doesn’t punish Dillon.

“As a car owner, I spend tens of millions of dollars to make sure our cars are fast, my guys have an equal opportunity to go out and race,” Hamlin said. “However, if you’re telling me that anyone can go out and just wipe us out intentionally, that’s not the sport I invested in. I have a problem with that.”