NASCAR announced today that Denny Hamlin and the 11 team we’re issued a L2 penalty. Today we will go over what exactly is a L2 Penalty, what rules they broke, and the punishment that NASCAR is handing them in result of this.

What is a L2 Penalty?

Back in 2022 NASCAR introduced a stricter penalty format, a three tiered system with a L3 penalty punishment being as severe as revoking playoff eligibility. This rule system was brought forward to mainly stop teams from tampering with and/or counterfeiting Next Gen single source vendor parts. The most recent L3 penalty that was handed out was to Stewart-Haas and the 14 team. According to the penalty grid issued by NASCAR, the team violated multiple sections of the NASCAR Rule Book. That includes Section 14.1F, which prohibits counterfeiting a Next Gen single source vendor-supplied part, along with Section 14.6.A Underwing, and 14.6.3B Engine Panel Assembly. Which pretty much means that the 14 team either modified or counterfeited a engine duct which can help the car create more downforce, which just adds a little bit more speed which is crucial at high speed tracks. Briscoe and the team we’re fined 120 driver’s and owner’s points, 25 playoff points, and a 250,000$ fine and a 6 race suspension to the crew chief.

L1 Penalty:

Violations may include:

Post race failure to meet the minimum weight requirements

Team source parts not meeting the NASCAR Rules but not rising to a L2 or a L3

Failures in the submission or approval process of parts

Penalty options may include:

Points deductions: 20-75 points

Playoff points deductions: 1-10 points

Suspension of one crewmember for 1-3 races

Fines: $25,000-$100,000.

L2 Penalty:

Violations may include:

Modifications to single source Next Gen parts but not severe enough to warrant a L3

Violations of engine seal requirements (Denny Hamlin’s Penalty)

Unapproved alterations to the engine control system wiring

Use of unapproved on-board electronics

Penalty options may include:

Points deductions: 75-120 points

Playoff points deductions: 10-25 points

Suspension of one or two crewmembers for 4-6 races

Fines: $100,000-$250,000

L3 penalties

Violations may include:

Counterfeiting or modifying single-source Next Gen parts

Engine infractions (cubic-inch displacement, compression ratio, assembly and internal components) and performance enhancements (nitrous oxide, vacuum leaks)

Engine Control Unit (ECU) or Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) violations

Modifying tires and/or fuel

Violations of private team testing policy

Penalties may include:

Points Deductions: 120-180 points

Playoff points deductions: 25-50 points

Suspension of one or two crewmembers for six races

Fines: $250,000-$500,000

Nullifying postseason eligibility, regardless of wins, points and other qualifying criteria

One-race suspension for the team, in the event of repeat high-level violations

What penalty did Hamlin exactly break and what is his punishment?

Denny Hamlin and his crew we’re issued a L2 penalty for violating NASCAR’s engine seal/inspection requirements. Rules 14.7.1E&F and 14.7.1.1.B&E. The team was fined 75 driver and owner’s points and 10 NASCAR Playoff points. Crew chief Chris Gabehart was fined 100,000$.

The engine in question is from his Bristol win back on March 17th. According to Toyota/TRD the engine was rebuilt mistakenly before NASCAR could do their inspections and tear it down. TRD President David Wilson takes full responsibility and assured the fans and NASCAR that Joe Gibbs Racing was not involved in any of the engine disassembly. TRD self reported the violation to NASCAR and Joe Gibbs and NASCAR then issued the L2 penalty to Denny and his team for altering a race used engine before NASCAR can inspect it.

Prior to the beginning of the season, all full time teams need to send NASCAR a schedule of races where they are planning to use a sealed engine at one of their races. NASCAR teams are required to use a race sealed engines in 18/36 races so that it gives teams less of a chance to tamper with the engines.

The following is a statement from NASCAR.

“Each race-winning engine must be inspected by NASCAR once the race team determines that its life cycle is complete. In this instance, priot to presenting the engine to NASCAR for inspection, TRD disassembled and rebuilt the No 11’s Bristol race winning engine. Per the NASCAR Rule Book, this violation results in an L2 penalty to the race team and driver. TRD self reported this violation”

The following is a full statement from TRD.

Denny Hamlin’s chances at the regular season championship is now far out the window as this penalty doesn’t bring Bristol into any tiebreakers, or if Bristol was his only win, he wouldn’t be playoff eligible with his win. He gets to keep the win but he wouldn’t of been playoff eligible. This penalty drops Hamlin from third to sixth in the Cup standings and his playoffs points go from 21 to 11.

I personally don’t believe that TRD meant to do this intentionally as they have 8 wins this season and haven’t had any problems like this. All engines that have been sealed are marked with NASCAR’s sticker so even if they tried to sweep it under the rug, NASCAR would have known seeing that the sticker was tampered with. Teams have to notify NASCAR when they are going to use the engine for the second event so NASCAR can tear down the engine and i’m guessing that’s when they realized. The question that tons of fans have been asking is if they probably tampered with the engine and fixed it back to spec so they can lessen the penalty for modifying a Next Gen Part and/or a engine part but i guess that’s gonna be a question we will never get answered.