NASCAR announced after the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that it had confiscated several rear firewall block-off plates from Hamlin’s third-place car and would take the pieces back to the NASCAR Research and Development Center for further inspection. The block-off plates are intended to seal the driver’s compartment to keep hot fluids, smoke and fire from getting to the driver. Air flow through the block-off plates could help the car’s aerodynamics during a race.
Confiscation doesn’t mean an automatic penalty, and NASCAR likely will decide Tuesday if a penalty is warranted.
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“It was a little something; it wasn’t that big of a deal,” said JGR Senior Vice President Jimmy Makar, who oversees the competition department. “I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal (penalty-wise). It is just a questionable thing.”
Hamlin is 11th in the Sprint Cup standings and is on pace to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup with a win at Talladega earlier this year.
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