FORT WORTH, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 03: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, is introduced prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 03, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
The weekend was going well for Denny Hamlin—up until the 80th lap of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500.
Hamlin came to Texas Motor Speedway second in the Playoff standings and qualified third for the second race of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 03: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Beer/Ducks Unlimited Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 03, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Tex. – For Kevin Harvick, Texas is the new Phoenix.
Overcoming a pit road penalty for a tire placed in his pit box too early, Harvick took control of the AAA Texas 500 as the sun set on Texas Motor Speedway and won his third straight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at the 1.5-mile track in Cowtown.
Christopher Bell, the driver of the #20 Rheem Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway November 02, 2019, in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
FORT WORTH, Tex. – Christopher Bell shrugged off a short-lived brake problem in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and cruised to a 5.635-second victory in Saturday night’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, and their crews have an altercation on pit lane following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Joey Logano had hoped to settle his differences with Denny Hamlin with a conversation.
Instead, the discussion turned physical, as Hamlin and Logano—and their respective crews—battled briefly on pit road after Sunday’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Aric Almirola, driver of the #10 Smithfield Ford, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Halloween Toyota, are involved in an on-track incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
Aric Almirola and Kyle Busch were battling for the seventh position in Sunday’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway, and they weren’t doing each other any favors.