BROOKLYN, Mich. – Denny Hamlin showcased his prowess at Michigan International Speedway, securing his third win of the season and the 57th of his career in the NASCAR Cup Series. This triumph comes at a crucial moment, as Hamlin balances his roles as a driver, future father, and co-owner of a racing team amidst a lawsuit against NASCAR. The toolbox is full. There are all kinds of things happening. Hamlin, driving the No. 11 Toyota, executed a precise maneuver to overtake William Byron on lap 197 of the scheduled 200, solidifying his position and leading the group to cross the finish line with more than a second’s advantage over Chris Buescher.
Ty Gibbs finished third, matching his best result of the season, followed by Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson. The 44-year-old driver, Hamlin, was prepared to leave his team and join his fiancée, Jordan Fish, who is expecting their third child. If the delivery began on lap 50 or earlier in Michigan, Hamlin was willing to abandon the race. Hamlin would even consider skipping next week’s race in Mexico City if necessary to witness the birth of his child. This is in addition to his role as co-owner of 23XI Racing, alongside Michael Jordan, a team that is in a legal dispute with NASCAR. Hamlin competes for Joe Gibbs Racing, which hadn’t won in Michigan in a decade.I just worked on the guys one by one, giving them different options.
Denny Hamlin
I think it’s the most underrated track we go to.
Denny HamlinHamlin surpassed Kyle Busch, becoming JGR’s winningest driver, with 56 victories, and is the tenth driver in NASCAR history to win after his 700th start.Hamlin’s team provided him with enough fuel to secure the victory, while several drivers, including Byron, ran out of gas at the end of the race.I feel good because I will hate it when I’m not at the level I am now. I will certainly retire very quickly after that.
Denny HamlinMeanwhile, Hamlin didn’t run out of fuel until his celebration was interrupted. Chase Briscoe, who started from the pole position, led until Byron overtook him on lap 12. Buescher took the lead on lap 36 and stayed ahead to win his first stage of the season. Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott traded the lead before a crash involving Alex Bowman brought out the red flag on lap 67. Byron regained the lead after a restart on lap 78, solidifying his good start and leading to win the second stage. Carson Hocevar took the lead on lap 152 and was informed shortly after that he didn’t have enough fuel to finish, but this became irrelevant when a puncture forced him to pit with 18 laps to go. Hocevar finished in 29th place, a week after achieving his best result in Nashville, where he generated controversy with an aggressive maneuver that took Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out of the race.It really hurts.
William ByronDifficult Moments for Bowman
Bowman crashed into a wall with the front of his No. 48 Chevrolet as part of a multiple crash, suffering another setback. That hurt a lot. That was probably the hardest hit I’ve taken. Bowman, who races for Hendrick Motorsports, arrived in Michigan in 12th place in the standings and will start further down the table. He has finished 27th or worse in seven of his last nine races and did not finish for the third time during this difficult period.Reddick Comeback
The defending race champion, Tyler Reddick, qualified in 12th place, but started last on the grid of 36 cars due to unapproved adjustments and rallied to finish in 13th place.Next stop
NASCAR moves to Mexico City for its first international points race in modern history on June 15.
