Yesterday, Hamlin tried to figure out exactly how his No. 11 Chevrolet would respond to the inevitable bump drafting.
But NASCAR officials warned Hamlin that he was pushing the envelope during yesterday’s morning practice session, according to NASCAR’s manager of communication Herb Branham.
Hamlin, says Branham, ignored the warnings.
As a result, NASCAR officials ordered Hamlin off the track midway through the practice session because of aggressive driving. Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford met briefly with race officials inside the NASCAR hauler after the practice. inrich.com
NASCAR spokesman Herb Branham described Hamlin’s driving as “over the line” and officials requested that the No. 11 come off the race track. “They took 15 and I’m giving them 30 more, ” said crew chief Mike Ford, who pointed out that the rear of Hamlin’s car had been nailed by other competitors in several spots as well.
The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing was surprised by the decision.
“I was finished, but they parked me there at the end, ” said Hamlin. “We asked them what was the difference between us and everybody else with the front and back bumpers being off and they said we were on TV while we were doing it, so I guess blame it on the television cameras. Lee Spencer FOXSports
Drivers beware. Excessive bump drafting will not be allowed in Sunday’s Nextel Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Series director John Darby said bump drafting will be monitored more closely than ever at the 2.66-mile track where the technique is used to gain ground in the draft.
“Describing the what and how we police there won’t be any change in the rule, ” Darby said before Saturday’s qualifying. “But there obviously will be more attention paid to it. ABCLocal
NASCAR officials brought Hamlin into the pits early during the first Nextel Cup Series practice session of the weekend Friday at Talladega Superspeedway in preparation for Sunday’s UAW Ford 500 and later announced that he would have to sit out 15 minutes of the second practice session of the day.
Officials parked Hamlin late in the first session because he ignored an order from NASCAR officials to stop bump drafting. Courant.com
| 
|