In the final lap of the NASCAR Xfinity 500 at Martinsville, Christopher Bell attempted a daring “wall ride” move through Turn 4 to pass Bubba Wallace and clinch a Championship 4 spot. The risky maneuver, reminiscent of a “hail melon,” broke NASCAR’s safety rules, costing Bell his position and dropping him to 22nd. The controversy deepened with claims that Toyota drivers, including Wallace, had slowed to help Bell, while Chevrolet drivers Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon allegedly blocked for William Byron.

As frustration mounted, Denny Hamlin, C. Bell’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, didn’t hold back in sharing his thoughts on the incident. Walking into the media center with a grin at Phoenix Raceway, Hamlin expressed his agreement with Bell’s feelings, stating that he too believed the No. 20 car had been unfairly taken out of championship contention. He even commented on how the hefty $600K fine doesn’t address the deeper problem.

Denny Hamlin’s take on the Martinsville situation

Denny Hamlin had some strong words about NASCAR’s $600K fine after the Martinsville controversy, and let’s just say he’s not convinced it’ll solve anything. Following the penalty news, Hamlin entered the media center with a grin, but the expression on his face said it all: it was “tough to follow.”

He chuckled a bit and then gave his take on the situation. “I agree, the No. 20 got cheated out of a Championship 4 spot,” he said, clearly feeling the frustration. For context, Christopher Bell had made it clear earlier that he felt “cheated out of a chance to win a championship” after the Martinsville race, calling it “fixed and manipulated by Chevrolet,” and blaming that manipulation for how the race played out.

Denny Hamlin also seemed to back his JGR teammate, Christopher Bell’s sentiment, saying, “The manufacturers are probably these teams’ biggest sponsors,” adding that he wasn’t sure how NASCAR could avoid some form of race manipulation. “Code words can be used, and no matter what rule is in place, it’ll still continue to happen,” he pointed out, hinting at how deeply ingrained manufacturer influence might be in the sport.

In fact, both C. Bell and Hamlin agreed that something needs to change, especially considering how Bell feels trapped in “manufacturer hell.” Bell said, “We go through sessions at the beginning of the year to make sure manipulations like Martinsville don’t happen,” but in the end, he felt like the penalties didn’t make it right. “Something has to change,” he concluded.

Now, the $600K fine was handed out to several teams, including the 23XI, RCR, and Trackhouse drivers and team members, after the whole Martinsville mess, but Hamlin didn’t seem to think that would change much. The fine felt like just a “slap on the wrist” to him, offering no real resolution.

As Bell and others have pointed out, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this isn’t just about penalties—it’s about ensuring fair play in a sport that’s heavily influenced by its big sponsors and manufacturers. “I don’t know how you’re going to avoid it,” Hamlin admitted, acknowledging the challenge NASCAR faces moving forward.

In the end, it seems like NASCAR’s decision isn’t sitting well with everyone, and for Bell and Denny Hamlin, the battle isn’t over yet. It’s one thing to hand out a fine, but it’s another to tackle the root cause of manipulation in the sport. NASCAR’s verdict was in favor of William Byron getting into the finals instead of Bell, and with that, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver joins his teammate Hamlin in missing out on the finals this year.

Denny Hamlin is unhappy about not cutting the finals

Denny Hamlin’s hopes of making it to the Championship 4 once again came crashing down at Martinsville. For the veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver, it’s becoming all too familiar—a year where he’s right on the cusp but ultimately falls short of the ultimate prize. This time, his 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick might be the one to push Hamlin into the championship spotlight as an owner, but for now, Hamlin’s driving aspirations will have to wait until next year.

On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin shared his thoughts about the race and his near-miss. He had worked his way up from the back of the pack, bringing a rebuilt car to a solid P5 finish, but it wasn’t enough. “Yeah, I mean at that point, I was pushing every lap as hard as I could,” Hamlin said. He also explained how the race was a constant grind, with no time to ease off. “I never took a lap off 100%. And for inside baseball, some drivers do take laps off…but I didn’t have any of those yesterday. I was trying for all I could.”

Despite his best efforts, Hamlin admitted that he just didn’t have that extra bit of speed to close the gap and make a stronger push for the win and acknowledged that the elusive “extra gear” was missing when it mattered most.

“You have that stretch in the middle of the summer you’re thinking, ‘We’re right there on the verge, we’re one of the top teams.’ But the win and you’re in just changes everything,” he noted.

It’s the nature of NASCAR’s playoff system—where consistent finishes are sometimes overshadowed by a single victory that can change everything.

With another year of championship hopes dashed, the question looms: has Hamlin’s time as a true contender already passed, or will the 2025 season offer another chance at glory?