NASCAR: Hamlin and Gibbs team get penalties

NASCAR has handed down a raft of penalties to Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing after the team's #11 Toyota failed a technical inspection following its third place at Indianapolis.

Hamlin and the team were docked 75 driver and owner points, dropping Hamlin 11 places to 21st in the standings, while crew chief Darian Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill were suspended for the next six Sprint Cup rounds, which sidelines them until the opening Chase event at Chicagoland in mid-September. In addition, Grubb was fined $125,000.

The car was seized for inspection after the series detected irregularities with the covers on the rear firewall of the driver compartment.

Designed to protect drivers from fire, smoke or fluids, the covers could also potentially help to generate downforce if they are loose or absent.

The breach was classified as a P5 infraction under NASCAR's new six-tier penalty structure, placing it at the second-highest possible level of severity.

The points deduction is unlikely to threaten Hamlin's Chase place under the 2014 system as he is currently in the shootout by virtue of his win at Talladega rather than his championship position.