It is now back-to-back DNFs for Denny Hamlin and there was completely nothing he may 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 hearth earlier than the top of Stage 1 because the engine let go. However at Kansas, it was a clutch concern 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 nearly nursed the automotive to the very finish, finishing 199 of 267 laps. Hamlin was working in third place on the time, however completed thirty sixth within the 38-car discipline after the transaxle failed.
A uncommon expertise for Hamlin
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: Jamie Squire / Getty Photographs
“Yeah, I feel ultimately simply broke the transaxle making an attempt to go away the stall there,” stated 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 formidable 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 for the reason that 2013 season, however each of these had been attributable to race-ending wrecks (Kentucky and Daytona).
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