Denny Hamlin takes issue with Walmart sign falling late at Atlanta, changing outcome of race

With 11 laps to go in Sunday’s Cup Series playoff opener at Atlanta, the caution flag came out. The cause of the sixth yellow of the day? A Walmart sign that came flying onto the track .

A Walmart sign on the front straightaway fence came loose and laid face up on the track. The caution came at a crucial time in the race, forcing another pit stop and restart with minimal laps left in the race.

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Denny Hamlin, speaking on Monday’s “ Actions Detrimental ” podcast, called the situation less than ideal, and questioned why NASCAR continues to accept these freakish occurrences happening during the flow of the race.

“It’s not ideal,” Hamlin said. “We saw this happen at the [Charlotte] Roval as well. Just a few years ago, there was a crucial caution that happened from a sign falling down. I certainly wish we had better standards for that stuff. I think I saw a video of them sliding this in this contraption, but did it get anchored after it got slid in there? We don’t know, but the cars certainly cause a lot of buffering, and a lot of air gets moved around.

“So, it’s unfortunate. We don’t want lines coming up on our court that we’re playing on and causes a crucial timeout. But that’s what happened, and I think it’s just become more accepted in NASCAR that we have these freakish things happen.”

Insider rips NASCAR for Walmart sign falling on track at Atlanta

The untimely caution impacted the outcome of the race which in a 10-race playoff format, certainly is unfortunate. Joey Logano took the checkered flag, clinching his spot in the Round of 12.

Like Hamlin, Jeff Gluck of The Athletic let NASCAR have it for not upholding stronger standards.

“What makes me irrationally angry today is this sign because to me if you’re going to have your entire season come down to these little three-race mini playoffs and the one-race championship, every single little thing from the track standpoint has got to be buttoned up,” Gluck said on “ The Teardown ” podcast. “You cannot have a situation where a sign for whatever reason is even possibly gonna fall on the track. This is the second time in three years this has happened. 2022 at The Roval in an elimination race, there was a caution called for a sign on the track. And that changed the outcome of the playoffs for that year.

“… Things happen, but if you’re going to put signage where race cars are driving by so fast that some people have fooled themselves into think there’s a vortex theory that it can control the weather, then you better have the signage locked down and secure. NASCAR cannot have something like that changing the outcome of a playoff race or the playoffs.”

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