Denny Hamlin Blames “Mechanical Failure” for Yet Another Championship Loss, Plans on Spoiling the Party at Phoenix

It was a day filled with highs and lows for Denny Hamlin at the Martinsville Speedway. But ultimately, a place in the Championship 4 was a goal too far ahead for him. Hamlin entered the penultimate race of the season teetering on the edge, perched in the 7th spot in the playoff standings, with a 17-point deficit looming ominously over his championship hopes.

Throughout the week, building up to the race on Sunday, Hamlin had declared his intentions loudly. He was treating the race like a “must-win” affair to keep his title aspirations alive.

Denny Hamlin blamed the power steering failure from last week as where it all went wrong

From the very start of the race, Hamlin’s determination was evident. He surged forward with a good start. He rapidly advanced from his 4th starting position to secure 2nd place. Positioned closely behind his teammate Martin Truex Jr, the duo represented Joe Gibbs Racing‘s relentless bid to secure spots in the season finale.

Hamlin’s day commenced on a high note as he clinched victory in the race’s first stage. And collected the maximum playoff points. His performance remained impressive through stage 2, culminating in a 2nd-place finish. Only behind Ryan Blaney—another contender in pursuit of a Championship 4 slot—leading the way.

Stage 3, however, unraveled differently for Hamlin. He found himself relegated to 7th and 8th positions during the initial portion of the stage after the initial pit stop. With every lap, the anticipation and tension grew as Hamlin’s championship aspirations were slipping away as Blaney maintained his charge. Yet, as the race neared its climax, Hamlin launched a spirited comeback, regaining several positions in an attempt to outscore William Byron.

Despite the resurgent efforts, victory eluded him, and Ryan Blaney won the race, eventually. The Hendrick Motorsports young gun, Byron, also clinched a spot in the Championship 4 based on points, sealing Hamlin’s fate in the playoff.

During the post-race interviews, Hamlin was asked to reflect on the day’s events. With admirable composure, he commented, “Ultimately, that mechanical failure last week, the power steering, that sealed our fate. But we’re proud of this whole FedEx Toyota team for showing up today when we needed to. They did great, they absolutely did great. The 12 car was the best car today, so congrats to them. And all the final 4, they’re all deserving; there’s going to be a great show next week. But hate we’re not in it for sure. We were definitely happy with the performance we had and really all around. You can’t have a bad week, and unfortunately, the mechanical failure takes us from running really well to running into the 30s, and that’s it.”

When asked about his emotions following this year’s playoff exit, Hamlin maintained his resolute spirit, saying, “I just wanna get ready and go try to win next week. I mean, I still love it so much because it’s every week I feel like I got a shot to win. That’s what fuels my passion, even at my age, to keep doing this. I am with the team that I got.“

READ MORE: “He’s a F**king Piece of S**t Human”: Enraged Denny Hamlin Publicly Blasts Joey Logano as Ty Gibbs Fiasco Triggers Martinsville Logjam

As the NASCAR season edges closer to its grand climax, Hamlin, a perennial title contender, now sets his sights on redemption at Phoenix, determined to overcome the disappointments and clinch the elusive Cup title.