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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 04: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Denny Hamlin speaks to the media during NASCAR Champions week at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa on November 04, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

NASCAR’s decision not to penalize Kyle Busch after the late incident with John Hunter Nemechek at Texas Motor Speedway quickly became one of the biggest NASCAR controversies of the week. Denny Hamlin strongly criticized both Busch and NASCAR after officials reviewed the contact and determined there was insufficient evidence to impose a penalty.

The incident has fueled debate about NASCAR officiating, driver accountability, and how penalties are handled during major races. Hamlin discussed the situation on his Actions Detrimental podcast and argued the contact looked obvious from his point of view.

NASCAR officials defended their decision by pointing to telemetry data and possible damage to Busch’s car. The criticism from NASCAR fans and drivers continues to grow following the Texas Motor Speedway race.

Denny Hamlin Questions NASCAR Penalty Decision After Texas Motor Speedway Incident

NASCAR Vice President of Competition Mike Forde explained why Kyle Busch avoided a NASCAR penalty following the Texas Motor Speedway incident involving John Hunter Nemechek.

“No penalty there, Kyle Busch will not be penalized. The data showed that after the incident, he turned the wheel all the way to the left to go straight. So we had a feeling he had some pretty significant damage.”

Forde said NASCAR officials could not confirm the move was intentional.

“There were zero things in our opinion that said he did this intentionally and rose to the level of penalty.”

NASCAR still plans to meet with Busch and Richard Childress Racing after several recent NASCAR incidents created controversy around race officiating and driver conduct.

“This is the second time in the last four weeks where there’s been a discussion post-race on whether or not he should have a penalty. The benefit of the doubt is running out pretty quickly.”

Denny Hamlin openly disagreed with NASCAR’s ruling. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran said Busch clearly lost control entering Turn 3.

“He lost his s— going into Turn 3, clearly.”

Hamlin also questioned why NASCAR relied heavily on telemetry data instead of judgment during the review process.

“When I said that I washed Chastain up into the wall, I got a point fine. But in the end, it was because I said it.”

Kyle Busch Defends Texas Motor Speedway Incident as Denny Hamlin Pushes Back

Kyle Busch reportedly defended his actions by explaining how he used “hash marks” on the back straightaway to judge positioning before the contact happened at Texas Motor Speedway.

Denny Hamlin challenged that explanation during his podcast.

“I heard Kyle say, ‘Well, the 42 had two feet to the wall, and I was judging my left side tires by the hash marks down the back. I’m like, ‘Hash marks down the back?’ It’s weird. I didn’t know those hash marks existed.”

Hamlin then explained why Busch’s positioning would not have made sense from an aerodynamic perspective during the NASCAR race.

“From an aerodynamic standpoint, Kyle, you’re not going to want to be up close to the outside cars. That’s just going to dump air on your spoiler and make you go slower down the straightaway.”

Hamlin added that he would have driven lower on the track to avoid the situation entirely.

“If we were to switch cars, I would not have been running in the hash marks down the back straightaway. I would’ve pulled down to be in a better aerodynamic position.”

The disagreement added another chapter to the long-running tension between Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, two of NASCAR’s most outspoken drivers.

Fans React as Kyle Busch Faces Backlash Over NASCAR Controversy

Denny Hamlin acknowledged that NASCAR fans have reacted strongly to the controversy surrounding Kyle Busch at Texas Motor Speedway.

“I’m seeing his fan accounts. They’re pretty downright now on him.”

Even with the criticism, Hamlin said NASCAR should not let public opinion control penalty decisions.

“You should just use common sense, usually. But it was not a good situation.”

Hamlin also downplayed the effect a NASCAR penalty would have had on Busch’s standings and NASCAR playoff points.

“It doesn’t change anything,” Hamlin said. “It just, to me, it just was not a great look.”

The NASCAR controversy continues to fuel debate around NASCAR officiating and driver accountability after another tense moment at Texas Motor Speedway. While NASCAR closed the investigation without issuing a penalty, the reaction from Denny Hamlin and NASCAR fans has kept the discussion active across the sport.