Denny Hamlin’s biggest failure at Martinsville? Caught twice in inspection process

Denny Hamlin received the only significant warning among Chase drivers, NASCAR disclosed Wednesday in his report from Martinsville.

After all this time, why haven't teams mastered the pre-qualifying template inspection? After all, Texas is the 30th race of a 32-race season.

And yet, there's Hamlin and his No. 11 car on report for twice failing to get cleared to qualify because of an irregularity with his car.

Turns out, the problem was neither a problem in the race nor after it. NASCAR issued the Joe Gibbs Racing team a warning — we'll let you go this time, son, but don't do it again. And Hamlin finished third, another step toward qualifying for Nov. 20's Chase championship race at Homestead-Miami.

Hamlin returns to the track on Friday for practice and qualifying at Texas. Sunday's race could lock another race winner into title race, just as Martinsville did Jimmie Johnson.

Hamlin and Johnson snarled at each other at Martinsville, but the next two weeks are no time for settling scores for drivers needed to qualify for the Chase final four.

Two other drivers were written up at Martinsville: Trevor Bayne for pre-race inspection snafus, and Matt DiBenedetto for pre-qualifying faults.