Denny Hamlin is scaring his fans as much as he’s giving them his title hopes. Locked into the Championship 4 with six wins this season, Hamlin charged hard in the Xfinity 500 on Sunday, holding second behind Ryan Blaney in the final stage. But then, out of nowhere, his No. 11 Toyota shut down abruptly from an engine failure around Lap 334, dropping him to 35th. Considering how he’s putting all that he’s got to chase that long-awaited title, such mechanical issues are really concerning for the No. 11.

Last week it was at Talladega, now this time at Martinsville. Hamlin’s crew pushed through a starter glitch in the qualifying session, only for the engine to go silent with no prior signs. Losing to a rival’s sharper move makes sense, but your own misstep? It leaves a deeper ache, especially

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