DARLINGTON, S.C. — A wonderfully-executed extra time restart by Denny Hamlin following a clutch remaining pit cease by his Joe Gibbs Racing crew offered precisely the benefit the veteran wanted to assert the trophy in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.
Hamlin took the lead out of the pits through the remaining late-race warning then bested the sphere on the restart, pulling his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota out entrance and in the end to a .597-second victory over the day’s most dominant driver, Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron.
It’s the second-consecutive victory for Hamlin, who gained final week at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and marks the primary time he’s gained back-to-back races since 2012.
All smiles as he climbed out the automotive, Hamlin gave all of the credit score to his pit crew. He was third place on the time of the ultimate warning – the yellow popping out for Byron’s Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson’s spin.
The leaders seized the possibility to pit for recent tires in anticipation of the extra time restart and Hamlin’s crew acquired him out of the pits first — forward of 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Byron.
An ideal launch on the inexperienced flag gave Hamlin the victory over Byron, who led a race greatest 243 of the 297 laps. It’s Hamlin’s 56th profession win, breaking a tie with NASCAR Corridor of Famer Rusty Wallace for eleventh place on NASCAR’s all-time wins checklist.
“There’s two folks I actually love proper now, my pit crew and Kyle Larson,’’ the 44-year-old Virginian Hamlin stated with a smile. “Had a bit help there, so thanks.
“The pit crew simply did an incredible job. They gained it final week [at Martinsville]. They gained it this week. It’s all about them.’’
It was clearly a tricky ending to a profession day for Byron, who rallied to the runner-up end on the ultimate restart however had completely dominated the early race, main the opening 243 laps and claiming each Stage 1 and Stage 2 victories. It was probably the most laps Byron has ever led in a single race.
“First off, simply actually pleased with my group to deliver that stage of effort and preparation and have a automotive like that and us execute like that, it was wanting like we have been going to have an ideal race and we have been going to steer each lap,’’ the 2025 DAYTONA 500 winner Byron stated.
“So, I used to be actually pleased with that. These guys may simply be aggressive on the opposite aspect of the inexperienced flag cycle and we simply misplaced management and as soon as we misplaced management it was too late to get again up there.
“It sucks and I’m certain it is going to sting tonight, however there are nonetheless numerous positives. It simply stings within the second for certain.’’
Hamlin’s JGR teammate Christopher Bell completed third within the No. 20 Toyota after an incredible rally ahead from a twentieth place beginning place. Reddick completed fourth within the 23XI Racing Toyota, co-owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Workforce Penske’s Ryan Blaney completed fifth. It’s the 2023 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion’s first top-five on the 1.366-mile historic observe, however the outcome nonetheless stings as Blaney had simply taken the race lead moments earlier than the ultimate warning got here out with solely three laps of regulation remaining.
“Oh no,’’ Blaney conceded of his ideas when the yellow flag flew.
“I believed we had the race gained. I don’t actually know I’ll have to look at a replay and see how the yellow got here out and watch it again. However we did a terrific job and nice technique name of working lengthy.
“Nice name and simply actually quick however by no means acquired to actually management the race,’’ he added … I really feel like nothing actually went our approach. Pit highway we’ve started working on a bit bit. Warning popping out through the cycle set us approach again and I really feel like we saved making up spots. Actually pleased with the 12 of us for giving me a quick automotive. Simply wasn’t meant to be. I actually would have preferred to have gained right here. That might have been actually neat. Happy with the trouble and we’ll preserve plugging alongside.’’
Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s Chris Buescher completed sixth, adopted by Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain, Hendrick’s Chase Elliott, JGR’s Ty Gibbs and Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch. It was a season-best effort for Gibbs.
Byron’s runner-up displaying retains him within the NASCAR Cup Sequence championship lead now by 49 factors over Hamlin and 52 factors over Bell. It’s a special look atop the standings, the place all 4 Hendrick Motorsports automobiles have been ranked among the many high 5.
Hendrick’s Chase Elliott completed eighth Sunday and is now fourth within the standings, 59 factors again. Larson dropped to sixth place after ending thirty seventh of the 38 automobiles Sunday. Bowman is now ranked tenth with a thirty fifth place displaying at Darlington.
