Dennys Fine, No Really He Is...

So Denny Hamlin comes off of the track at Phoenix, after a back to front drive which saw him miss out on second by a whisker to the 48 car and makes a "disparaging remark" about the quality of the racing with the new Gen 6 race car.

NASCAR did not like these remarks and decided in their infinite wisdom to do something about it.

Except NASCARs infinite wisdom department was obviously busy when this decision was made and someone with no "clue" handed out a $25000 fine.

Fined $25000...

For having an opinion...

Ouch...

NASCAR desperately needs to get away from having dull, emotionless, corporate machines driving race cars and get back to humans with attitude, aggression, an edge, thats why I love having  Keselowski and Stewart as recent Champions.

Here's the same situation with me behind the big desk in the NASCAR hauler...

"Hello Denny, come in... slap...

Look... slap...

We know the Gen6 is a work in progress... slap...

But for gods sake shut up... slap...

The last thing we need to do is start talking negatively about the car... slap...

Come and talk to us about what's going on, how it is racing... slap...

But don't bad mouth the new car after two races or you surely will get a... slap..."

And the door opens, no one is any the wiser.

I have said before that it will take half the year before the sport learns the new car. Tyre compouds will change, set ups will develop, NASCAR will adjust the rules, all in the hope of improving the "show".

NASCAR, you just made yourselves look stupid, do not silence the drivers, encourage them... until they cross the line, then give them a good slapping behind closed doors and let them carry on.

The fans want personalities in the race cars not corporate entities. I think fans want drivers to have an opinion without the sponsors dictating what they can or can not say. Give me a Brad or a Tony any day, and in this case give me a Denny.

Hamlin might have a point, maybe the car has not raced as well as hoped, so far, but lets give everyone involved the chance to get it right before we ring the death bell.