Denny Hamlin’s Martinsville race came to an abrupt and heartbreaking end with just 164 laps remaining. What looked like a solid top-five run quickly unraveled as smoke began trailing from his car. Within the next few laps, around lap 360, the issue worsened, forcing him to retire from the race while he was running 2nd to race leader Ryan Blaney. The No. 11 driver officially scored 35th, a disappointing result after showing serious space and composure for most of the afternoon.

Speaking post-race, Hamlin takes a very real approach as his day ended early. Reflecting on his race next Sunday, he said, “I mean, I could be worried, but I can’t do anything about it. So I’m still optimistic we’re going to go there and put our best foot forward, and I’ll be prepared. That might be a game-changer.

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