In a demonstration of strategy and impeccable execution, Denny Hamlin claimed victory in the Goodyear 400, held on Sunday at Darlington Raceway.
Following a final caution, Hamlin, positioned in third place, trusted his pit crew for a crucial moment. The Joe Gibbs Racing crew responded perfectly, catapulting Hamlin into the lead during the final restart.
Domain on the Track and Celebration
Hamlin, with this victory, has 56 wins in his NASCAR career, five of them at Darlington. “When you think about 56 wins, it’s huge,” commented Gibbs, owner of Hamlin’s car.
Hamlin managed to withstand the attacks of William Byron and other competitors, waiting for the opportune moment to attack in the final laps. “I can still do it, I can do it at a high level and I hope to win many races this year,” Hamlin stated.
The JGR driver opted for the outside line on the final restart, securing first place and distancing himself from Byron and Christopher Bell.
The race was full of unexpected twists, including an incident by Kyle Larson that forced a yellow flag and altered the strategy of several teams. It was at this critical moment where Hamlin’s pit crew proved their worth, allowing him to come out first.
Byron, who led much of the race, finished second, followed by Bell, Hamlin’s teammate.
There are two people I really love right now, my pit crew and Kyle Larson.
Denny Hamlin
Other outstanding drivers in the top 10 were: Reddick, Blaney, Buescher, Chastain, Elliott, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Busch.
Hamlin highlighted the crucial role of his pit crew in his recent victories. “The pit crew did an incredible job. They won last week, they won this week. It’s all about them,” he added.
Other Aspects of the Career
Ryan Blaney, who seemed headed for his first Darlington victory, was affected by the yellow flag caused by Larson’s incident. Byron, for his part, regretted not having been able to maintain the lead throughout the race.
Kyle Larson, hoping to repeat his 2023 victory at Darlington, suffered a setback that relegated him to the last positions. The driver returned to the track after a few laps, but failed to recover.
Greg Biffle, the last driver to win consecutive races at Darlington, was in charge of driving the pace car. Biffle has been involved in rescue missions in recent months.
The next race in the series will take place in Bristol on April 13, before the Easter break.
