NASCAR’s decision to defer pit crew suspensions for Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 team has sparked debate, and FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass stepped in to clarify why the process exists. The ruling followed a loose wheel incident during last weekend’s Bristol Night Race, where Hamlin’s car lost a right-front wheel and triggered a caution.The failure resulted in a two-lap penalty in-race and NASCAR officials later handed two-race suspensions to front-tire changer Austin Maloney and jackman Joel Bouagnon. But thanks to a rule change for 2025, Joe Gibbs Racing chose to delay those suspensions by a week. That means Hamlin will have his full crew at New Hampshire before replacements take over at Kansas and Charlotte Roval.Pockrass explained on X that the system prevents teams from exploiting appeals. One fan wrote in frustration:"You did the crime do the time! NASCAR shouldn’t allow crews to defer. You messed up, team suffers, deal with it."Pockrass replied:"With an appeals process, the fair thing to do is allow them to defer pending appeal. This just streamlines any jockeying of filing for an appeal only to withdraw it a week later. Saves time for those working to arrange an appeal that never happens."Previously, teams could appeal almost automatically, pay a $5,000 filing fee, and push a suspension back to better align with strategy or available substitutes. That appeal would usually be withdrawn the following week. NASCAR’s new policy formalized what was already happening, avoiding unnecessary appeals work.If Joe Gibbs Racing had appealed the Bristol penalty, the same outcome would have played out in the New Hampshire race with the regular crew and suspensions starting the following week.For Denny Hamlin, Bristol was costly. After running inside the top 10, the wheel issue dropped him to 31st, five laps down. Still, his Gateway win earlier in the month locked him into the Round of 12, where he enters as the top seed, 26 points above the cutline."Not even my concern": Denny Hamlin looks ahead to New Hampshire despite pit crew setbackDenny Hamlin (11) during the Duel at Daytona International Speedway. Source: ImagnJoe Gibbs Racing has swept all three playoff races so far, and Toyota’s speed leaves Denny Hamlin in a strong spot. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, the 11-car driver admitted he expected a penalty after Bristol but wasn’t dwelling on it. When asked if he was expecting a penalty, he said:"Yeah, I think so. Which I mean is super unfortunate because we're the only guys on pit road during that time. So, there was no indication, no heads up or anything if it was loose leaving the pit stall… I've no idea who’s sitting on the bench, who’s ready, and it’s not even my concern." (35:19 onwards)Hamlin explained that’s his crew chief Chris Gayle’s headache. He's focused on what he can control, pointing to JGR’s deep roster of pit crew talent.Christopher Bell’s No. 20 and Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 are both still alive in the playoffs alongside Hamlin, while Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 missed the cut, creating flexibility to cover for the suspended crew members starting in Kansas. For now, though, Hamlin will have his regular unit at one of his best tracks.New Hampshire has historically been a strong venue for the veteran, with three career wins and one of the best average finishes at Loudon. But results in the Next Gen era have been tougher, including a 24th-place run last season.Entering as the points leader, Denny Hamlin’s consistency gives him a cushion, and with seven races left, the question remains whether this is finally the year he turns playoff strength into a championship.