It is now back-to-back DNFs for Denny Hamlin and there was completely nothing he might do to keep away from both one. Each points had been mechanical, taking him out of competition at Texas Motor Speedway final weekend and now Kansas Speedway on Sunday.
At Texas, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota dramatically caught fireplace earlier than the tip of Stage 1 because the engine let go. However at Kansas, it was a clutch situation plaguing Hamlin. He required a push begin from his group each time he made a visit down the the pit lane.
However throughout a spherical of pit stops following Brad Keselowski’s race-ending crash, Hamlin’s automotive lastly gave up as they tried to get it rolling out of the field. The automotive crawled to a cease in the course of the pit lane and wanted to be pushed behind the wall.
Including insult to harm, that pit cease ended up being the ultimate one of many race. He had virtually nursed the automotive to the very finish, finishing 199 of 267 laps. Hamlin was operating in third place on the time, however completed thirty sixth within the 38-car area after the transaxle failed.
A uncommon expertise for Hamlin
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Picture by: Jamie Squire / Getty Photographs
“Yeah, I feel finally simply broke the transaxle making an attempt to go away the stall there,” mentioned Hamlin again within the storage space. “Unlucky for the Progressive Toyota group. Actually quick once more – simply can’t preserve it collectively proper now.”
The excellent news for Hamlin is that he already has two wins this 12 months, which has him safely locked into the playoffs. However earlier than the problems at Texas and Kansas, Hamlin was having fun with a powerful run of 21 consecutive races the place he completed on the lead lap.
Moreover, back-to-back DNFs is one thing Hamlin hasn’t skilled because the 2013 season, however each of these had been as a result of race-ending wrecks (Kentucky and Daytona).
Pictures from Kansas – Race
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