Denny Hamlin’s hopes for a third NASCAR Cup Series win this season were dashed in overtime at the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. Despite leading 37 laps during the race, including a 15-lap stretch towards the end, Hamlin’s day ended in disappointment as he was forced to settle for a 30th place finish.
Hamlin had already secured victories at Bristol Motor Speedway and Richmond Raceway, but an unfortunate turn of events brought his streak to an end. During the first of two attempts at NASCAR Overtime, Hamlin found himself alongside race leader Chase Elliott for a green-white-checkered finish. Racing side-by-side with Elliott into Turns 3 and 4, Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota suddenly went sideways at the midpoint of the corner, causing the car to spin into the outside wall as they exited Turn 4.
Despite showing strong performances in each of the season’s first nine races, Hamlin has finished outside the top 10 in three of the last five events. However, it’s worth noting that in two races where he did secure top ten finishes during this period, he emerged victorious. This pattern adds an element of unpredictability to Hamlin’s season as he continues to display both moments of brilliance and moments of misfortune. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving story.
