Denny Hamlin Wins at Gateway and Advances in NASCAR Playoffs
Driver Denny Hamlin once again demonstrated his focus and determination by securing a dominant victory at World Wide Technology Raceway, ensuring his advancement in the Cup Series playoffs.
Despite personal and professional challenges, including family issues and a legal defeat for his team 23XI Racing, Hamlin remained focused and achieved a practically flawless weekend. Starting from the pole position, he led a total of 75 laps out of the 240 contested.
“I just keep grinding,” Hamlin said after his fifth win of the season. “The only thing I can do is keep learning the game, keep getting better, and every week is an opportunity to be a little bit better.”
Denny Hamlin
With this victory, the number 59 of his career, Hamlin advanced to the second round of the playoffs, joining his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Chase Briscoe, who took second place.
Chase Elliott finished in third place, followed by Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, thus completing a top five dominated by playoff drivers on the 1.25-mile oval.
The No. 11 Toyota team called Hamlin to the pits for his final stop with 44 laps remaining, and thanks to a caution, he regained the lead. Hamlin passed Brad Keselowski on the restart, securing Toyota’s 200th victory in NASCAR’s premier series.
Hamlin celebrated his triumph with a long burnout on the main straight, delighting the crowd present at the Gateway circuit.
“They can boo me, but they can get on the train or get run over by it. I want all the noise and all the heat,” Hamlin declared.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin, who also co-owns the 23XI Racing team with NBA legend Michael Jordan and is also a podcast host, has demonstrated a remarkable ability to juggle multiple roles without affecting his performance on the track. At Gateway, Hamlin became the seventh driver in NASCAR history with multiple wins after his 700th race.
Team owner Joe Gibbs praised Hamlin’s ability to handle so many responsibilities. “He’s in one meeting after another. The more he does, the better he gets. He has a real passion for success,” Gibbs stated.Denny Hamlin celebrates after taking the checkered flag at Gateway, advancing in the NASCAR playoffs.The ultimate goal for Hamlin is to win the Cup Series championship, and with this victory, he took another step towards that goal, securing his place in the next round before the September 13th race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The first round cutoff race will reduce the playoff field from 16 to 12 drivers.
After Gateway, Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman, and Josh Berry are outside the top 12.
Kyle Larson, after a twelfth-place finish at Gateway, can secure his spot in the next round by simply participating in Bristol. Bubba Wallace, who finished eighth after leading 73 of 240 laps and winning the second stage, is also in a favorable position.
Berry will need a win at Bristol to advance to the next round, after debuting in the playoffs with two last-place finishes. The Wood Brothers Racing driver was hit in the left rear by Elliott, causing Berry’s No. 21 Ford to hit the wall in Turn 2 on lap 36.
“Chase and his team have done a lot for me, and I really doubt that was on purpose,” Berry said, who had an accident on the first lap of the playoff race at Darlington Raceway. “Just the wrong place, the wrong time for us again. Obviously, it’s unfortunate. We’ll go to Bristol and try to do our best and put ourselves in a position to compete for a win, and that’s really all we can do at this point.”
Elliott apologized for the incident after the race.
“I didn’t mean to hit him,” Elliott said. “I’ve known those guys forever, so I hope they know it wasn’t intentional. I felt terrible the moment it happened, and I wish I could take it back.”
Previously, NASCAR announced the passing of Bill Davis, whose teams won 40 races in the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck series between 1993 and 2008. Davis earned his five Cup victories with driver Ward Burton, including the 2001 Southern 500 and the 2002 Daytona 500. The Arkansas native, who was 74 years old, also had cars for Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte before they won Cup championships with other teams.
“Championship-winning team owner and leader, Bill Davis left a lasting mark on our sport through his passion and unwavering belief in the people around him,” NASCAR said in a statement. “Bill was more than a competitor: he was a friend to everyone in the garage, respected for his kindness, generosity, and genuine love for racing.”
