NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe. Greg Atkins-Imagn Images

Two NASCAR playoff drivers have engine trouble at Martinsville

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 5:25 PM ET

A pair of NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers had engine issues during Sunday's playoff race at Martinsville Speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin both suffered engine failures in Stage 3 of the Xfinity 500.

Briscoe, who won last week's race at Talladega Superspeedway, suffered his issue first, with Hamlin's following shortly thereafter.

The two engine issues are likely making Christopher Bell — a fellow JGR playoff driver — and his team very nervous as Bell navigates through a crucial race in search of a Championship 4 berth.

Engine issues force @chasebriscoe down pit road. pic.twitter.com/fcdmLFcGz9
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 26, 2025

Now, @dennyhamlin goes behind the wall with mechanical issues of his own. pic.twitter.com/RL2eLFotr7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 26, 2025

Focus all on Phoenix for Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe

The good news for both Briscoe and Hamlin is that both drivers already clinched Championship 4 berths. Hamlin's win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 12 ensured his spot in the title race, while Briscoe's aforementioned Talladega triumph did the same for the No. 19 team.

Bell, however, is in the midst of a fight for a Championship 4 spot, and a similar engine issue for the No. 20 team would doom his championship hopes.

It's the second time in as many Martinsville races in 2025 that one organization has experienced a specific mechanical issue. In March, a pair of Team Penske drivers in Josh Berry, who drives for the Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers team, and Austin Cindric experienced electrical issues that took them out of the race.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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