didn’t unfurl the Sunday.
This time, the world threw him a lifeline.
With 4 laps to go within the Goodyear 400 at , Hamlin was working third. Ryan Blaney had simply overtaken Tyler Reddick for the lead. Blaney had the very best automotive, persistently laying down the quickest occasions on the monitor within the waning laps to catch Reddick. With possession of the entrance spot, he seemed poised to maintain it.
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Then, seconds later, Kyle Larson wrecked.
That caused a warning flag and an time beyond regulation restart. Hamlin beat everybody off pit street after which left the sphere within the mud when the inexperienced flag flew, rushing to a victory for the second straight week.
“There’s two folks I actually love proper now — my pit crew and Kyle Larson,” Hamlin stated. “Had a little bit help there, so thanks.”
, who started on the pole and dominated the primary 243 laps, completed second. Christopher Bell, Reddick and Blaney rounded out the highest 5.
Listed here are three takeaways:
1. William Byron, Ryan Blaney endure heartbreak
Apr 6, 2025; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver William Byron (24) leads the sphere within the first section in the course of the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Obligatory Credit score: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Photos
Earlier than diving deeper with Hamlin, let’s discuss Byron and Blaney.
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Via the primary 243 laps, Byron turned in a throwback efficiency on NASCAR’s throwback weekend. It marked probably the most laps he’s led in a race in his Cup Collection profession.
It was the very best tally by any Cup driver since Jeff Burton led all 300 laps at New Hampshire in September 2000.
On Lap 244, Byron hit pitted, giving Hamlin the lead. He by no means bought again in entrance.
“First off, actually happy with my workforce,” Byron stated. “To carry that degree of effort and preparation and have a automotive like that, and for us to execute like that, it was wanting prefer it was going to be an ideal race. We had been going to guide each lap. Was actually happy with that …
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“I’m certain it should sting rather a lot tonight. However there’s nonetheless loads of positives. It simply stings within the second, for certain.”
Apr 6, 2025; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Ryan Blaney (12) out of flip one in the course of the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Obligatory Credit score: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Photos
Blaney scored his first top-five at Darlington, nevertheless it might’ve been much more. He led two laps.
He’s nonetheless trying to find his first win of the season.
“I assumed we lastly had the race received,” Blaney stated. “I don’t actually know. Have to look at the replay of how that yellow got here out.”
2. Denny Hamlin wins back-to-back races
Apr 6, 2025; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Collection driver Denny Hamlin (11) in the course of the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. Obligatory Credit score: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Photos
After controlling the Cook dinner Out 400 for 274 laps on his solution to Victory Lane final week, Hamlin’s path again there at Darlington went a little bit in another way.
He sat in entrance for 10 laps, together with the final two that mattered most after exiting pit street first and exploding out of the restart.
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Final week, Hamlin ended a 31-race drought. Now, he’s captured two in a row. The victory was the 56th of his profession, transferring him previous Rusty Wallace and into eleventh place within the document books.
3. Subsequent up, high-banked enjoyable at Bristol
The tour of outdated stock-car haunts continues within the coming week. On the heels of visits to Martinsville and Darlington, NASCAR’s three high collection rolls into Bristol Motor Speedway for races Friday (Vehicles), Saturday (Xfinity) and Sunday (Cup).
This season marks the sixty fifth season of NASCAR racing on the high-banked, half-mile oval dubbed “The Final Nice Colosseum.” After that comes the lone off week for NASCAR, because the engines go quiet for the Easter vacation.
— Ken Willis contributed to this story.
