Denny Hamlin Faces Setback at Martinsville

Denny Hamlin's hopes for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship took a significant hit during practice for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway when a piece of rubber lodged in the throttle caused it to stick wide open, sending his No. 11 Toyota into the wall. Despite initially showing speed in practice, the incident will force Hamlin to start from the back of the field with a backup car, complicating his strategy to win the race and secure a spot in the Championship 4. Hamlin expressed frustration over the mishap, which reflects a pattern of bad luck that has plagued his career despite his numerous race victories. With 18 points behind the cutoff line and needing a win to advance, Hamlin stated, “We just have to figure out a way to win the race.” His crew is working to salvage what they can from the damaged car ahead of the critical race. This latest setback adds to Hamlin's long history of near-misses in championship contention.