Denny Hamlin faced a major issue during the NASCAR qualifying session in Atlanta as he grappled with powertrain issues that will see him start last in the upcoming race this weekend.
The incident occurred while Hamlin was pushing through his qualifying lap for the NASCAR Playoffs when he heard a distinct pop. Despite this issue, Hamlin and the No. 11 team remain hopeful about the car’s overall performance, working hard today to diagnose the problem and fix it ahead of the race.
Hamlin showed remarkable calmness following the qualifying round.
“No real indication other than just really slow, then they come in and diagnose it. They’ll figure it out,” he told PRN. He elaborated on the powertrain being the probable culprit:
“It’s certainly …