JGR Toyotas of Briscoe, Hamlin out at Martinsville with engine issues

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin both went behind the wall with apparent engine issues during the final stage of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race at Martinsville Speedway. Briscoe first reported problems, slowing down the frontstretch at Lap 296 from the 14th position. Fewer than 40 laps later, smoke billowed out of Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota from the second position. Riley Herbst also had an apparent engine issue in the No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota. RELATED: Unofficial results | At-track photos "Obviously something major, mechanical," Hamlin told reporters after his race came to a premature end. "I don't know, just because the engine simply shut all the way off. If it was a blowup, it'd be the first one that was like that, where, no noises, no anything, just the engine actually cuts off. But I don't know. Way too early to speculate." Both drivers are already locked into next Sunday's Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) via wins earlier in the Round of 8. Hamlin won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks ago, a victory that doubled as his 60th in the Cup Series. Briscoe was the winner last weekend at Talladega, surviving overtime for his third win of the season in the No. 19 Toyota. “No indication. I was just running around there," Briscoe explained. "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 [issue] won’t matter anyway.” For Hamlin, it's his third DNF of the season related to engine issues. He expressed concern last weekend at Talladega about mechanical problems and also had an issue with his starter during qualifying Saturday at Martinsville. Hamlin wasn't sure if Sunday's issue was connected to Saturday's, nor if he had the same issue as Briscoe. "I could be worried, but I can't do anything about it, so I'm still optimistic," said Hamlin when asked if he's uneasy about a potential failure during the championship event at Phoenix. "We're gonna put our best foot forward, and hopefully, it's enough next week. That's all I can do. "Our performance is good. We're up front. As long as we can keep it together, we're fast and capable ... I've said, come one, come all. I think that I'm gonna have to win next week if I'm gonna win the championship, and we're gonna come prepared for that." If Hamlin were to win the title, it would be the first of his future Hall of Fame career. He enters Phoenix as the winningest Cup Series driver without a championship. William Byron won Sunday at Martinsville, punching his Championship 4 ticket along with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.