It feels almost cruel how Denny Hamlin’s championship dreams keep slipping away, not from a lack of speed or talent, but from parts and pieces failing him when it matters most. Year after year, the No. 11 crew brings a car capable of winning it all, only to watch a mechanical issue derail its playoff run.

Last week, a throttle issue at Talladega turned a potential top-five result into a disappointing 24th-place finish. It’s been a frustrating theme for one of NASCAR’s most consistent stars. It’s hard not to feel a knot in your stomach when you watch Hamlin’s 2025 season unfold with such promise, only to be blindsided by another mechanical collapse, but the curse struck again at Martinsville.

Toyota trouble as engines drop at Martinsville

Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe both saw engines expire within 30 laps of each other. Hamlin ran second, slicing through lapped traffic, when smoke poured from his pipes.

The No. 11 Toyota was done for the day. Briscoe’s car followed suit soon after. Both drivers already had wins to lock them into the Championship 4, so the blow softened; no harm, no foul for their title chase.

But the garage went quiet for Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell. With over 150 laps left, worry crept in. Riley Herbst rolled to the garage next with a possible plug wire failure, the second Toyota down.

Then Hamlin blew up. Bell, running fourth, could not afford a hiccup. Three Toyotas in a handful of laps, Briscoe, Herbst, and Hamlin, all out with issues. JGR cars dropped like flies.

Bell kept his cool in fourth, but the pattern stung. Blown engines for the locked-in cars raised eyebrows. Was it a failed experiment? Hamlin’s No. 11 lost power and parked. The team scratched their heads while Bell raced on, praying his motor held. Toyota’s rough day left the championship hopefuls counting blessings and bolts.

Hamlin’s bad luck feels personal now. Talladega’s throttle, Martinsville’s engine, it’s almost like a theme that has dominated his career. Thankfully, Bell managed to dodge the bullet, but it came at the expense of a Championship 4 spot. As for the 44-year-old, he stays alive with Briscoe for Phoenix, but the mechanical issues will worry the No. 11 crew. Nobody wants another breakdown to cost him a shot at the elusive Bill France Cup.

The Toyota troubles set a tense stage for the rest of the field, and Bubba Wallace felt the sting next.

Wallace pays the price in late caution chaos

He got immediate punishment for his role in a Stage 3 caution at Martinsville, denied a free pass back to the lead lap. Wallace had shared big family news earlier in the week, adding weight to a tough day.

Wallace and Brad Keselowski tangled, pushing Josh Berry into a spin and out of the Round of 8 playoff hunt. Ryan Blaney made good on his promise to Roger Penske after a rough start, fighting for every spot. The caution flew, and normally, Wallace and Keselowski would wave around to regain a lap.

NASCAR rules said no, they caused the mess, so no benefit. Wallace earned his playoff spot but bowed out after the Charlotte Roval. The denied pass capped a rough Martinsville, another twist in a day full of breakdowns and bad breaks.