The Miami Hurricanes, with a surefire win in their grasp, opted for a play that could only be described as a brain cramp. It was like trying to parallel park a battleship – destined for disaster. They could have played it safe, knelt the ball, and sealed the deal. But they decided to call a run play, leading to chaos on the field. In a bizarre twist of fate, the Hurricanes’ ill-fated coaching decision mirrored Denny Hamlin‘s emotions at the ROVAL race.

With a decent points haul and a ticket to the Playoffs Round of 8 already secured, one would expect jubilation. But Hamlin must have borrowed a page from the football playbook because his emotions were filled with regret, mirroring the chaos of Miami’s ill-fated run play.

From high hopes to hard hits, Denny Hamlin’s rollercoaster at Charlotte ROVAL

The ROVAL and Hamlin have had a turbulent relationship, akin to frenemies in a melodramatic saga – one minute they’re buddies, and the next, they’re at each other’s throats. The weekend started with a cruel twist of fate as Hamlin’s fortune took a nosedive.

A spin on Saturday and an inability to set a decent time in the final round set a gloomy stage. Hamlin misjudged his speed through the treacherous chicane and had a hard impact with the curb, sending him plummeting to a 9th-position start for Sunday.

Sunday’s race initially promised a smooth sailing journey to the front. In Stage 1, Hamlin crossed the line in 12th place, and in Stage 2, he rocketed to P3, collecting 9 precious points that guaranteed his spot in the Round of 8. But, as if the ROVAL had a personal vendetta, it all went south.

With just 34 laps remaining, Hamlin’s fortune ran out again at the dreaded frontstretch chicane. He dived in too deep, lost control, tangled with Ty Dillon‘s No. 77, and subsequently collided with Mike Rockenfeller’s No. 42. It was a catastrophic sequence that shattered his dreams of victory.

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Frustrated and drawing parallels to the Miami Hurricanes’ woes, the JGR veteran lamented, “I mean, I wanted to keep flipping stages, but can’t be the Miami Hurricanes. You can’t run the ball when you’re supposed to kneel it, you know?” He further added, “So I think that we did the best we could to lock ourselves in early, but then it just puts you in the back, and that’s about it. Once you get to the back that’s about it, and we tried our best but obviously just made a mistake there and got hit.”

As Hamlin reluctantly retreated to the garage, forced into early retirement by the unforgiving damaged vehicle policy, he had no idea that he was about to experience a rollercoaster of emotions alongside a familiar face as a basketball icon made his way to the paddock.

Michael Jordan’s presence at his driver’s elimination race

While the roar of engines and the thrill of oval action echoed, Denny Hamlin made his declaration to reporters, “I’ll go watch and be a fan,” referring to his 23XI drivers still battling it out on track. He continued spectating the rest of the race from outside, with the towering presence of Michael Jordan in the paddock.

Jordan’s presence in NASCAR is not a new feat considering his ownership of the 23XI stable, with his most recent appearances at Talladega where he was seen talking to his drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. It was uncharted territory for the 23XI Racing team, and especially for Wallace, who was making his debut at the track as a playoff driver. However, despite their efforts, Wallace’s championship aspirations were unceremoniously shattered, ending the round of 12 a painful 17 points below the cutline.

Yet, amid the previous heartbreak, there was a silver lining waiting for them at Charlotte Roval. Hamlin and Jordan shared a moment of jubilation, as Reddick stormed across the line at the road course in P16. This stellar performance secured a playoff berth in the round of 8, a good 16 points above the cutline.

As the NASCAR season presses on, the next three races loom large, filled with high-octane drama and unforeseen twists. With Hamlin sitting comfortably in the standings, currently 3rd and safe from the championship 4 elimination, the only question that remains: What blunder or brilliance would the next races bring?

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