Last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway had more drama than anyone expected. During the race, Team No. 11 lost a wheel on the track. It might sound like a small mistake, but in NASCAR, it’s a very big deal. And now, NASCAR has decided to punish the team.
The official report says “NASCAR Hands Down Penalty to Team No. 11 After Bristol Mishap”.
At the Bristol Motor Speedway, a wheel detached from a car belonging to Team No. 11. This happened when the race was in progress. In the race, a wheel may go off, and it can cause huge crashes. The loose wheel may hit another vehicle or may end up harming a driver, crew member or a fan.
Because of how dangerous that is, NASCAR has strict rules about wheels and other car parts staying in place during the race. The rule they broke is called Section 10.4.C, which talks about the “loss or improper separation of components” during competition.
When the race was over, NASCAR reviewed the video and data on the car and concluded that Team No. 11 had violated the rule.
This category of issue is referred to as L3-level infraction, which is one of the most severe types of punishments in the NASCAR rulebook. This level was reintroduced by NASCAR in 2022, with the introduction of the new Next Gen car, in an attempt to ensure that no team takes safety less seriously than ever.
The Penalty and Who It Hits
The punishment is tough. NASCAR says Team No. 11 will lose 10 championship points and 10 playoff points. Points are how teams and drivers move forward in the season. When you lose points, it becomes much harder to stay in the playoff chase.
Austin Maloney and Joel Bouagnon are suspended from the next two NASCAR Cup Series Championship points events. NASCAR demonstrates that losing a wheel is not the only unfortunate event, but it should be prevented at all costs to ensure the safety of everyone.
A penalty has been issued following this past weekend’s action at Bristol Motor Speedway. pic.twitter.com/lMmopqBa9L
— NASCAR Communications (@NASCAR_Comms) September 16, 2025
Denny Hamlin Explains Tire Failure After the Incident
Shortly after the race, Denny Hamlin summed it up with a shrug.
“It is what it is,” he said. “We were the only car on pit road at the time, and unfortunately, the tire fell off.”
Hamlin explained that he’d brushed the wall the lap before, which could’ve damaged the car.
“There was clearly an issue with the car,” he added. “I can’t tell if the suspension was broken, but something was off.”
He went on to describe the moment things went sideways:
“I knew something felt off, the right front started shredding coming off the corner, kind of the same feeling we had back in the spring. We tightened it up too much overnight, and once it went, it just blew the right-front right off the car. We’d hit the wall the lap before, so maybe something broke in the suspension.”
Why This Matters for the NASCAR Playoffs
The timing of this penalty could not be worse for Team No. 11. The playoffs are coming fast, and every point counts. In NASCAR’s playoff system, the field gets smaller after each round. Only the top drivers move on, and sometimes the difference is just one or two points.
By losing 10 points at this point, Team No. 11 can lose the top group. Even if they do better the next time, they will have to make up. The other teams have an eye on it, since the same thing may happen to them in case they fail to watch out.
This indicates that safety is the order of the day in NASCAR. Small mistakes can cost a lot.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NASCAR Hands Down Penalty to Denny Hamlin and Team No. 11 After Bristol Mishap appeared first on Heavy Sports.