Newman, Hamlin say they were fined by NASCAR

LONG POND, Pa. (AP) -Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin say they are the drivers fined by NASCAR for making critical comments about the racing series.

Newman refused to disclose on Friday the amount of the fine or what he said. He implied that it was for comments he made after he crashed at Talladega Superspeedway.

Hamlin said he was punished for comments he made on Twitter. He also did not reveal the amount of the fine.

People familiar with the penalties told the AP this week fines were levied because the comments were considered disparaging to the sport. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR was not publicly identifying the topflight drivers it fined. They say one driver was penalized as much as $50,000.

Newman says the penalties are “behind me. It's behind Denny right now.”

Newman says he was frustrated about the fine “because I didn't understand what it was or why it was.”

Hamlin understood why he was fined.

“Whether you agree with it or not, it happened. They're in control,” he said.

The decision to fine competitors for critical comments puts NASCAR in line with many other professional sports leagues. The NFL and NBA both routinely issue fines for criticism of officiating.

It also backs up NASCAR's season-long campaign to rebuild the slumping sport through an improved on-track product and off-track promotion from its drivers.

“We're all in it together, and I understand that,” Hamlin said. “I definitely understand, I don't really know what it was, but more than likely it was the Twitter comments more than anything that kind of got me in trouble with them.”