It has been confirmed today that Denny Hamlin’s crew will be penalised after a tungsten ballast fell out of the #11 Camry during the pace laps of the NASCAR Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 this past Sunday.
Crew chief Chris Gabehart, car chief Brandon Griffeth, and engineer Scott Simmon will be suspended for four races. Joe Gibbs Racing will not appeal the suspensions.
The team’s race engineer, Sam McAulay, will fill in as the interim crew chief. Eric Phillips will be the car chief, returning to his original position. Both were not listed as a part of Hamlin’s Charlotte roster due to limitations caused by COVID-19. Scott Eldridge will be added on to the roster as a mechanic, all according to Bob Pockrass.
Tungsten ballasts are added to the cars to help them meet weight requirements. When loose, they are a serious threat to driver safety, as it can smash through windshields and potentially injure fellow competitors.
