Denny Hamlin will not appeal the $25,000 fine levied against him for criticizing the Gen-6 car, and NASCAR will take the money out of his race winnings.
Hamlin announced his decision Thursday on Twitter, saying he did not want to drag his Joe Gibbs Racing team through the appeals process but still is refusing to pay the fine.NASCAR in its own statement said the fine will be settled per the rule book, which says a drivers’ winnings can be garnished to collect fine money.Hamlin was fined a week ago for comments made following his third-place run at Phoenix. It was the second race for NASCAR’s new car, and Hamlin said he didn’t think it drove much better than the old car.F1 boss wants DanicaFormula One chief Bernie Ecclestone said he would like to lure Danica Patrick to the sport but knows she would be unlikely to make the move.As the pre-eminent female driver in motorsports, firstly in Indy Car and now in NASCAR, Patrick attracts a lot of new fans and sponsors.Ecclestone told the F1 website that “she will hardly want to give up the exposure she has in the U.S. to come here and maybe not make it.“All the things that people worry about – whether a woman can cope with the G-forces and all that — she has proven that she can.”Indy sponsorJosef Newgarden will be sponsored by Century 21 real estate for the May 26 Indy 500. Newgarden will trade his traditional No. 67 for No. 21 that day.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
