NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland Speedway has already featured a tiny bit of drama for NASCAR Cup Series points leader Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team at Joe Gibbs Racing, even before his car was unloaded at the racetrack.
Several different photos from bystanders made the rounds on social media throughout the afternoon on Thursday (July 2), which showed the No. 11’s National Debt Relief-wrapped hauler looking like it was in distress – stationary after a failed attempt to turn onto a side street.
JosephSrigley.com reached out to a representative from Joe Gibbs Racing on Thursday for further comment on the matter but did not receive a response. However, on Friday, Frank Hodel, the hauler driver for Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE took to Instagram to explain the situation.
“This is a hard one to post, but I’d like to put it out there for everyone to see,” Hodel said in a social media post. “Bottom line is, it’s on me, and I own it. I was on my way to Chicagoland Speedway, almost there. I [passed] a sign that said ‘5-ton weight limit ahead’. The road I turned right on to avoid the restriction, was a small county road. I knew I had to go through the corner of the field with my trailer. What I didn’t see was there was a ditch beneath the tall grass. I made the decision to call a wrecker to get out. Could have been much worse.”
According to reports from the racetrack, the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing hauler did arrive at Chicagoland Speedway on time, and Hamlin’s Toyota Camry XSE did not sustain any damage from what ended up being a minor incident.
Hamlin enters this weekend’s event at Chicagoland Speedway with a one-point advantage over 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick in NASCAR Cup Series points, as the two have been engaged in a multi-week battle for the Regular Season Championship, which continues at the Joliet, Illinois-racetrack.
The No. 11 is expected to be on-track during Friday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice from Chicagoland Speedway at 6:00 PM ET on TruTV.
