Denny Hamlin wanted none of the spotlight ahead of the Xfinity 500 race in Martinsville. He won the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 playoff opener in Las Vegas and punched his ticket to the Championship 4. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Chase Briscoe, followed suit by winning in Talladega. Yet both the locked-in drivers may have given too much leeway to their rivals, as now two Hendrick Motorsports stars are coming to Phoenix.

As a cherry on top of the cake (for HMS drivers), JGR is in a bit of a dilemma. True, Hamlin wanted to stay out of the headlines. Yet, both he and Chase Briscoe managed to stand out due to a pair of DNFs. It may be an ominous sign, as their team owner dissected the issue.

Joe Gibbs is on a war footing

Joe Gibbs Racing is no stranger to mechanical issues. Since 2008,

See Full Page