JGR teammates Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. make final-stage exits at Homestead
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates and playoff contenders Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. exited Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race within a lap of each other, falling out with separate issues in the late going at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hamlin’s JGR No. 11 Toyota crashed into the outside retaining wall in Turn 1 with 32 laps left in the 4EVER 400, with the veteran driver telling his crew on the radio that he had encountered a steering issue. Hamlin limped the battered No. 11 back to pit road, and he exited the car unhurt.
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During the caution period for Hamlin’s wreck, Truex’s No. 19 Toyota showed signs of smoke as it circulated behind the pace car. Truex told his crew that he felt the engine was failing, and he also headed to the pits to end his day.
Hamlin finished 30th in the 36-car field, retiring 31 laps shy of the full 267-lap distance. Truex completed just one more lap than Hamlin and was credited with 29th.
This story will be updated.
