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Denny Hamlin Hits Trouble with Tire Blowout, Finishes 28th at Phoenix
Highlights
- Denny Hamlin finished 28th after right-rear tire failure at Phoenix.
- Hamlin lost a lap but couldn’t regain it due to speeding penalty.
- Before Phoenix, Hamlin trailed points leader Kyle Larson by 49 points.
- Hamlin reduced Larson’s lead to 31 points after Larson’s tire crash.
- Next race at Talladega is critical with three races remaining.
Denny Hamlin finishes 28th in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Chase race at Phoenix Raceway after a right-rear tire failure in the final stage.
The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver runs inside the top five before pitting for tires, surrendering track position and momentum at a decisive moment.
A caution for Cody Ware on Lap 223 appears to offer a reprieve, but speeding on pit entry renders Hamlin ineligible for the free pass.
Right-rear tire failure derailed a top-five run and relegated Hamlin to 28th.
Unable to take the wave around under that yellow, he restarts on Lap 230 at the tail end, one lap down in 31st.
Speeding on pit entry nullified Hamlin’s free pass opportunity.
At Phoenix, pit-road configuration and pit selection influence traffic flow and exposure to risk, as detailed in recent pit stalls analysis. One mistake can cascade through strategy and track position.
Hamlin enters the weekend 49 points behind Kyle Larson. Larson’s late tire failure and crash in the Freeway Insurance 500 trim the gap, leaving Hamlin 31 points down with three races remaining.
Hamlin cuts Larson’s advantage to 31 points with three races left.
That keeps alive his pursuit of Kyle Larson, though margins are tight and mistakes costly in this phase of the Chase.
Talladega arrives next Sunday. Superspeedway dynamics, drafting packs, and attrition can swing points quickly, so stage execution and risk management become central to Hamlin’s recovery push.
The Chase picture tightens. Small errors carry outsized costs, yet opportunities remain. Hamlin stays within range as the field drives toward the 2026 title decider.
Visual Summary
One Flat Tire
Turns Chase Drama Red Hot
Hamlin falls from P5 ➔ P28
Gap to Leader:
49 pts
31 pts
Gap shrinks by 18 points
3
races left—The Chase is ON
Next stop: Talladega
Next stop: Talladega
🏁
One unlucky tire. One crucial mistake.
Hamlin’s Chase hopes still roll on.
John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.
