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Denny Hamlin said Saturday that NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional “reeks of desperation” when asked how he felt about the sanctioning body granting a world-class driver from another disciplin…
Denny Hamlin expressed his strong disapproval of NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional, calling it a desperate move to gain relevance and attention.
The provision grants world-class drivers from other disciplines an automatic spot in the starting lineup, with Helio Castroneves being the first beneficiary this season at the Daytona 500.
While this move aims to attract attention and showcase well-known names, it has sparked criticism from established NASCAR drivers like Hamlin.
The Open Exemption Provisional is a new addition to the Charter Agreement, allowing non-full-time NASCAR drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. to potentially use it as well.
Hamlin believes that NASCAR should maintain its prestige by emphasizing merit-based qualifications rather than introducing shortcuts that could undermine the sport’s integrity in the long run.
