Denny Hamlin Conquers Dover and Solidifies His Dominance in the Season
In a demonstration of skill and determination, Denny Hamlin triumphed at the Dover Motor Speedway, securing his second consecutive victory at this track and the fourth of the season. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver demonstrated his ability to overcome obstacles, from legal setbacks to on-track challenges, solidifying his position as one of the most outstanding competitors in the NASCAR Cup Series.Hamlin, aboard his Toyota No. 11, once again demonstrated his skill in Dover, adding this victory to his triumphs in Martinsville, Darlington, and Michigan. With 58 NASCAR Cup Series wins, he is only two away from matching Kevin Harvick on the list of the top ten all-time winners. Hamlin’s victory came amidst a challenging context off the track, as his team 23XI Racing faces an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. Despite this situation, Hamlin maintained his focus and performance on the track, surpassing his teammate Chase Briscoe and Hendrick Motorsports drivers, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson. The race, marked by the hot weather and a rain interruption, presented additional challenges for the drivers. Hamlin, after the restart, chose to keep his old tires, a strategy that, according to his team boss Chris Gayle, sought to maximize the chances of victory.“I love being able to keep doing it at a high level. Every morning, when I wake up, I just hope I have what I had yesterday.”
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin, who becomes the nineteenth driver to win three times at Dover and the thirteenth to achieve consecutive victories at this track, attributes his success to the study of the greats of the sport and the adaptation of their strategies.“We need wins. How can we manufacture some way to give ourselves more opportunities for that to happen? It might not work, but we definitely weren’t going to do the same thing as everyone else.”
Chris Gayle
