Chase Briscoe‘s Martinsville performance came to an abrupt halt after his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE lost power without warning on Sunday, resulting in a last-place finish for Joe Gibbs Racing at the Virginia speedway. The incident unfolded just as Briscoe was feeling optimistic about his prospects on the challenging short track, which also saw mechanical drama for teammates and competitors.
Unexpected Trouble Ends Briscoe’s Race
Briscoe had started the Martinsville event with confidence, running in competitive position alongside drivers like Kyle Larson. However, his race ended suddenly when his Toyota experienced an unexpected power failure without any forewarning. As he recounted the moment, Briscoe expressed disappointment and a sense of resignation regarding his performance and future rounds.
“No indication. I was just running around there. I felt really good about coming here and where we were at and racing with (Kyle) Larson there and went to upshift and something happened. I’m not really sure, it’s unfortunate. We’ll go on to next week and that won’t matter anyways.”
Chase Briscoe, Driver
Briscoe’s report echoed a day of difficulties for Joe Gibbs Racing, with not only his own abrupt exit but also teammate Denny Hamlin experiencing similar mechanical woes with his No. 11 King’s Hawaiian Toyota.
Denny Hamlin Also Faces Power Failure
Denny Hamlin’s race was equally troubled, as he too lost all engine power mid-event without any telltale signs or warning. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran described the incident as sudden and puzzling, highlighting a pattern that appeared to impact the team’s fortunes on race day.
“I felt like the car was coming to us, but I know what you are asking. I felt like we were in a good spot there where we just started to close back in on (Ryan) Blaney. We got the track position we needed. I feel bad for King’s Hawaiian, I’m not sure we have finished a race so far with these guys so I hate it for them. Ididn’t feel anything, it was running and then it was just no noises, no sounds, no indication. I decelerated into turn one and it just shut off, that was it. We’ll work on it I guess and try to get them next week.”
Denny Hamlin, Driver
“Everything was fine and then it just lost power into turn one and that was it. No noises or anything, but just silence because it wasn’t running.”
Denny Hamlin, Driver
The issues left Hamlin with a 35th-place result, underscoring a difficult afternoon for the Toyota squad at Martinsville.
Reactions and Anticipation for the Next Race
Hamlin reflected candidly on the challenges his team faced and the uncertainty looking ahead, emphasizing his concern but also expressing determination to rebound in the upcoming event. Briscoe expressed a similar sentiment, focusing on moving forward despite the setback.
“I’m obviously concerned, but there obviously nothing I can do about it. We’ll live with it and hopefully we’ll get back next week and we are just going to have to see how it goes. I’m confident in the speed that we’ll have next week. I’m really confident in what this team is going to bring next week and we’ll bring our best, hopefully it lasts.”
Denny Hamlin, Driver
Martinsville Track Changes and Race Experience
Outside the mechanical issues, drivers noted the impact of recent adjustments to the track and tire setup. Hamlin offered his view on the changes, indicating they affected tire management but did not cause major shifts in race pace over longer runs.
“I thought that the left side tire was a good change. It certainly makes you manage it, but also more cars have been on the track and the track is starting to rubber. It hasn’t wore as much as I would have expected and the lap time fall off was not quite as much. But a good experiment, I think it can put on good races.”
Denny Hamlin, Driver
Despite the optimism about track improvements, mechanical failures overshadowed potential gains for both Briscoe and Hamlin, who will both look for redemption as the series continues.
What Awaits Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing
With Chase Briscoe’s Martinsville performance cut short, both he and Joe Gibbs Racing must quickly regroup ahead of next week’s race. The recent power loss incidents highlight ongoing reliability concerns, putting added pressure on team engineers and drivers for the crucial next round. As the NASCAR Cup playoffs intensify, spectators and teams alike will watch to see if Briscoe and his Toyota crew can overcome these challenges and restore their momentum on the circuit.
