The Sprint Cup Drivers Council decision to collectively pay Tony Stewart’s fine was a way to show unity and that drivers should be able to express their opinions freely, Denny Hamlin said Friday at Richmond International Raceway.
Denny Hamlin explains Drivers Council message sent to NASCAR on Tony Stewart fine
Upset with the fine levied against Tony Stewart by NASCAR, the Drivers Council reacted by saying it would pay the $35,000 penalty.
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“We feel like we should show solidarity to a guy who’s done a lot for the sport,” Hamlin said. “We don’t want to be so politically correct all the time and have to filter our thoughts and think about it because we have sponsors on our cars or owners we have to answer to or NASCAR.
“Sometimes you just want to say what you feel and we feel like you should be able to do that at times.”
Stewart was fined $35,000 by NASCAR Thursday following comments that questioned the sanctioning body’s lax policy pertaining to the number of lug nuts teams apply to fasten wheels. The three-time Cup Series champion called it a “safety hazard” and believes a loose wheel will result in someone getting hurt, be it a driver or spectator.
NASCAR deemed Stewart’s remarks disparaging and fined the three-time Cup Series champion, who is making his season debut this weekend after missing eight races with a broken back.
The Drivers Council issued a statement to NBC Sports late Thursday night defending Stewart and saying its nine members would collectively pay his fine equally.
“We just think that there should be a little bit of leniency there for someone that knows a lot about our sport and has been in our sport a long time ... especially when it’s something on safety,” Hamlin said.
Before last season, teams were required to use five lug nuts before a car could leave pit road. Teams are now permitted to use whatever amount of lug nuts they deem appropriate, a change that has seen several teams use just four and often three lug nuts resulting in several loose wheels.
The Drivers Council, which regularly meets with NASCAR on matters related to safety and competition, consists of Hamlin, Stewart, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kyle Larson.
Since the formation of the Drivers Council last year, NASCAR and the Council have collaborated on several issues with both sides frequently praising the other. The statement marked the first time the Council criticized NASCAR publicly.
“I think that the driver’s interests and the owner’s interests is 95 percent aligned most of the time,” Hamlin said. ”... That to us was a moment and I think for us it just shows solidarity that we’re all in this together as the drivers and we want to have one voice because that one voice is obviously a little louder and clearer to NASCAR when we go into meetings talking about where it’s going to head from competition to safety and amongst other things.
“Our meetings with NASCAR have changed the sport and will continue to change the sport for many years.”
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