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.
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 26: Todd Gilliland, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, 2019, in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – In an extraordinarily wild NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race that saw four of six Playoff drivers have major issues, 19-year-old Todd Gilliland muscled his way past Ross Chastain on lap 191 and held on to win for the first time in 46 career starts.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yes, NASCAR Heat 4 is a game, but the eyes of the championship competitors were an unmistakable affirmation of the seriousness of the competition.