Denny Hamlin rips NASCAR over open exemption rule: 'You're just saying f***ing Tom Cruise can go in there'

Denny Hamlin strongly opposes the new NASCAR open exemption provisional rule; He made that clear while speaking with the media at Bowman Gray Stadium earlier this month.

Hamlin doubled down on his criticism during Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast, calling it a “desperate” move from NASCAR in doing everything it can to “try to get a headline.”

“My opinion on this was that it was desperate. I didn’t like it,” Hamlin said. “Just thought that you’re really doing everything you can to try to get a headline. And I still believe it to be true. NASCAR is the highest form of motorsports in the U.S., so why can’t we act like the big boys and say, ‘If you wanna come over here and run with us, show me what you got. Go qualify in the race.’ It won’t be that hard and to me as a car owner, we just talked about these playoff scenarios in which things can happen. Things out of your control can happen.

“I was one David Starr brake rotor away from winning a championship in Phoenix one year, but that’s the breaks. … Now you’re just saying f***ing Tom Cruise can go in there and just because he said he raced in Days of Thunder, can come in there and compete on Sunday with the big boys. I don’t agree with that. It’s just my opinion on it.

Denny Hamlin speaks out against NASCAR open exemption provisional

The rule allows a 41st spot in races for a world class driver from another series to make the field for a race should they fail to qualify naturally. This Sunday’s Daytona 500 will be the first race where the open exemption provisional is at play, as Trackhouse Racing secured one for four-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves to compete.

According to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, the new provisional works much in the same way as a promoter’s provisional. If there is a non-NASCAR driver attempting to make a Cup Series race, officials can expand the field from 40 to 41 cars to allow that driver and team to race. A team and driver must request the provisional and NASCAR has to approve it before adding the 41st spot, as they did with Castroneves. By taking the provisional, a team cannot earn purse money.

Despite his opposition, Hamlin is rooting for Castroneves.

“After the duel, you think Castroneves is gonna be jumping for joy? No, he will not be, he knows he’s in the race,” Hamlin said. “… This is not an indictment on him whatsoever. I hate that he’s getting the brunt of this because he had no role in this whatsoever. I love him and his attitude. Hope some of his avid fans come watch the Daytona 500 because you wouldn’t have otherwise.

“That’s what this is trying to do is maybe you get some new eyeballs to follow this person and tune in to see how they do and maybe you can keep them latched on for a longer period. That’s what this is aimed to do. And I understand that. I just think you put a crack in the Dam of Legitimacy. I believe it does.”