Hamlin and Gilliland Penalized for Violations

NASCAR has issued severe penalties to both Todd Gilliland and Denny Hamlin for separate infractions. Gilliland's No. 38 car failed inspection three times, leading to his team's loss of pit stall selection and the ejection of his car chief, which could significantly impact his race strategy at Daytona. Meanwhile, Hamlin's team, Joe Gibbs Racing, was docked 75 points and 10 playoff points after Toyota Racing Development (TRD) mistakenly rebuilt his race-winning engine from Bristol before NASCAR's mandatory inspection, dropping him from third to sixth in the Cup standings and making his championship path more difficult. TRD has taken full responsibility for the error, which also resulted in a $100,000 fine for Hamlin's crew chief, Chris Gabehart. Despite the penalties, Hamlin remains in playoff contention due to his wins at other races this season.