Denny Hamlin breaks down battle for lead with Chase Elliott at Texas Motor Speedway

Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott battled for the lead during the first Green-White-Checkered attempt of overtime during Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The two raced door-to-door going into Turns 3 and 4 until Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota got loose and spun into the outside wall. Hamlin’s spin ruined his chance at not only a win, but a top-5 or 10 finish. He officially finished P30 while Elliott held onto his lead after the ensuing restart to snap a 42-race winless streak.

Hamlin, speaking on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast after the race, detailed his battle with Elliott for the lead. Hamlin said he felt he had the car to pass Elliott for the lead had NASCAR not decided to go to a Green-White-Checkered following the final caution during regulation.

“I thought that we had clear sailing. I mean, the field — you worry about cautions right after a caution, but we had 15, 20 laps or so and I passed Chase back for the lead. He got me on the restart, I think because I was just being a little timid. Don’t get loose under him, don’t make a mistake,” Hamlin said. “So, he took the lead on the restart. … I did [think I could pass him after the restart] if they didn’t run so many f****** laps under caution. Like, I think that caution happened and there was like eight or nine laps to go and I’m like ‘Well s***.’ … If he clears me, if he controls the restart and he clears me, if I have 2 or 3 laps, I will get back around him. I mean, that’s my irrational confidence but that’s what I think will happen.

Denny Hamlin falls short at Texas after overtime spin

“But when we go into a Green-White-Checkered, it’s all about who clears first. Whoever clears first is gonna win the race. There’s just not enough time to build momentum back to get back around. So, that’s why my sense of urgency was to mat it in Turns 3 and 4 and try to stay beside him but yeah, damn it, I’m so frustrated because every single week, we’re like gonna win. We’re so fast every week. I think we’ve led every race this season and not like bull**** led, we’re leading laps. Like legitimately, we drive up there and we’re contending.

“So, this is a really, really fun year for me so far because every week I know that I’m one of the top three guys in terms of speed. But damn, two weeks in a row of not getting the finish we deserved. And this one’s on me for sure.”

Hamlin said directly after the race that his spin was a result of simply trying to go for the win.

“Yeah, just got loose in Turn 3,” Hamlin said. “It’s something that I had been fighting all day. When you have to push it most – on a great-white checkered – I knew [what] the likely scenario [was]. That was that I wasn’t going to make it out of the corner with how much speed that I was carrying. Trying to go for the win with our Yahoo Camry – got loose and spun out.”