In an emotional race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin took his sixth checkered flag of the season, marking his 60th career victory. This triumph is not only a personal milestone, but also secures him a place in the NASCAR championship final. The victory on Sunday was dedicated to his father, who is facing health problems, and to whom Hamlin attributes his passion for motorsports. “I am very happy that he was able to see victory number 60. That was very important to me,” expressed Hamlin, visibly moved.
Hamlin, known for his skill on the track and considered one of the best drivers who have yet to win a Cup title, returns to the race for the championship since 2021. The victory in Las Vegas is a testament to his perseverance and dedication. The race was not without its challenges. Hamlin, after an intense battle in the last 10 laps, overtook Kyle Larson and his teammate, Chase Briscoe. Hamlin’s team made crucial adjustments in the last pit stop, which allowed him to obtain his seventh victory of the season, the most since 2020. In the competition, Larson, seeking to break a 20-race winless streak, took second place. Christopher Bell and Briscoe, both teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, placed third and fourth respectively. Tyler Reddick, racing for 23XI Racing, finished fifth, and the defending Cup champion, Joey Logano, was sixth. The race also presented difficult moments for other drivers. William Byron, after leading the race, suffered an accident that resulted in a crash with Ty Dillon, which left him out of the competition. Ryan Blaney, who started the race in second place in the points standings, had a tire issue that led him to crash into the wall, affecting his title aspirations. Blaney now faces the need to get a win at Talladega Superspeedway to keep his championship hopes alive. In other news, Tyler Reddick, despite his son’s health issues, continues to compete. Reddick, whose son Rookie needs surgery, has shown remarkable strength and dedication. Additionally, Rob Edwards, from the Andretti Global IndyCar team, made his NASCAR debut as part of the ownership group. Edwards will take on the role of performance director for TWG Motorsports, an organization that participates in various motorsport disciplines. The next NASCAR race will take place at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the current winner.He is the one who introduced me to racing, he took me to a circuit when I was 5 years old. Then he made all the financial sacrifices to keep me in this, we sold everything we had, we almost lost our house a couple of times to try to move forward.
Denny Hamlin
