NASCAR Penalty: Denny Hamlin & Team Forced to Undergo Major Changes for Kansas

On September 13, during Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin‘s No. 11’s right-front wheel dislodged from the vehicle. His Toyota Camry crashed into AJ Allmendinger on lap 384 for the 13th caution of the race. At the time, Hamlin was given a two-lap penalty. However, the crew chief, Chris Gayle, was hopeful that pit crew suspensions wouldn’t follow because, from his perspective, it was the crash that caused the car’s wheel to dislodge, not the other way round. 

NASCAR clearly didn’t agree, leading to the suspension of two crew members: front tire changer Austin Maloney and jackman Joel Bouagnon. The suspension comes at a time when Hamlin is focused on his playoff run, and during last week’s episode of ‘Action’s Detrimental’, the driver had no idea about replacements. But the good news is that Maloney and Bouagnon will temporarily be replaced by experienced men.

After deferring the suspension for Maloney and Bouagnon until after the New Hampshire Round of 12 race, JGR announced its substitutes. The replacements are from Front Row Motorsports (FRM’s No. 4 team), one of the two teams to which they lease pit crews. So, Thomas Hatcher will substitute for Maloney, and Nate McBride will replace Bouagnon.

Interestingly, FRM’s No. 4 team is the typical crew that JGR pulls out when they need substitutes for the house cars. The crew, which was leased out to Noah Garson’s No. 4, is the best non-house pit crew at JGR.

Thomas Hatcher: He brings a wealth of experience to the No. 11 team. He was the front tire changer for Martin Truex Jr.‘s No. 19 car, before being moved to No. 4. His expertise is well-established, and his tenure with JGR includes a notable stint in 2022 when he was part of a crew swap between the No. 18 and No. 11 teams during the playoffs. He started as a mechanic at Roush Yates in 2004, before eventually becoming a tire changer at Roush Fenway Racing in 2007. He then worked for Team Penske from 2012 before moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2021. These prior collaborations with Hamlin highlight Hatcher’s adaptability and familiarity with the specific demands of the No. 11 car.

Nate McBride: He was a former linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs and has leveraged his athletic background to excel as a jackman in NASCAR. His first significant assignment with Hamlin occurred in 2022 when he filled in for a suspended crew member during the Coca-Cola 600, where the No. 11 driver won. Time and again, McBride has shown his capability to perform under pressure and contribute to the team’s achievements.

Before the crash at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hamlin began with promise from the sixth starting position. He finished Stage 1 in eleventh position and Stage 2 in tenth. His fate changed late into the race, as he finished in 31st position. Later came the pit crew suspensions. But the quick decision-making, though, was not something new for the JGR garage.

During a suspension in 2022, Adam Riley, a former wide receiver at Wingate University and member of the No. 4 crew, became a substitute rear tire changer for Bubba Wallace‘s team. Strategic moves like these underscore the depth of talent within JGR’s extended pit crew network and its ability to maintain performance standards even in the absence of regular crew members.

Denny Hamlin used NASCAR’s new deferment rule to keep his crew for the playoffs

In response to NASCAR’s revised 2025 rules, Hamlin made a strategic decision to defer the suspensions of his key crew members. So, instead of fulfilling their suspensions at the Mobil 1 301 in New Hampshire, Maloney and Bouagnon will be absent for the Kansas Speedway and Charlotte Roval events. “It’s obvious the timing mattered. Losing them at this moment would hit us harder than at a later race,” Hamlin explained, highlighting the importance of continuity during critical playoff events.

NASCAR’s new deferment rule allows teams to manage non-behavioral suspensions more efficiently, particularly when penalties occur mid-week. And during a recent episode of the Hauler Talk podcast, NASCAR managing director of racing communications Mike Forde confirmed that the suspensions will be deferred for one week and introduced at Kansas. He added, “The suspension can be deferred without an appeal request for the next event following the issuance of the penalty. So if the 11 team would like for their two crew members to be part of the New Hampshire race, they can request a deferral. The appeals administrator would be the one who does grant that or not grant that. There is pretty much 100% success rate (of granting the deferral).”

By deferring the suspension, JGR ensured its experienced crew would be available for the new round of the playoffs. With Hamlin being a favorite for a few races ahead, track position, pit strategy, and executing on pit road will make or break No. 11’s case. This move underscores the value of strategic planning and timing in maintaining a competitive edge during the high-stakes NASCAR playoffs.