Denny Hamlin now has 56 profession victories within the NASCAR Cup Sequence, nevertheless it was not a dominant exhibiting like his Martinsville victory only one week in the past. Driving a throwback scheme paying tribute to Carl Edwards, Hamlin earned his fifth win on the observe ‘too robust to tame’, in a race that was in the end gained by way of pit highway.
First, a well-timed warning mid-race netted Hamlin quite a lot of observe place and put him up into the highest 5. He was in a position to lap inside the prime 5 for the rest of the race, surging from third to first on pit highway through the ultimate pit cease of the occasion. Ultimately, Hamlin led simply ten laps — in a race the place William Byron was up entrance for greater than 240.
“There’s two folks I actually love proper now: my pit crew and Kyle Larson. Had a bit of help there, so thanks,” mentioned Hamlin, poke enjoyable at what brought on the ultimate warning of the race. “Man, the pit crew simply did a tremendous job. They gained it final week. They gained it this week. It is all about them. Thanks Sport Clips. They’ve such an enormous deal right here in Darlington, South Carolina … We’ll see you at Victory Lane.”
That is the primary time Hamlin has gained back-to-back Cup races because the 2012 season. When requested if there can be any Edwards-inspired backflip, Hamlin laughed. “I will go. If Carl is right here, he is greater than welcome to leap off the automobile.” Edwards additionally waved the inexperienced flag to formally begin Sunday’s race.
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Byron and Blaney come up empty handed after stellar showings
Byron initially regarded unstoppable, main the primary 243 laps unopposed. Nonetheless, a spherical of green-flag pit stops midway by means of the ultimate stage fully modified the complexion of the race. Tyler Reddick, who pitted a couple of laps sooner than many of the leaders, ended up taking management with a cushty lead. Byron was caught behind Christopher Bell, whereas Ryan Blaney was flying, with the freshest tires after operating longer than most others.
Blaney finally ran down Reddick and the 2 briefly battled for the lead earlier than Blaney received the higher hand. A fast chain of occasions that instantly adopted fully modified the end result as soon as once more. As Blaney handed Reddick, the 23XI Racing driver ran large and pancaked the wall. Proper behind him, Kyle Larson, who was operating over 160 laps down after an earlier incident, checked up and spun off the nostril of Bubba Wallace. As he crashed into the within wall, it pressured a yellow flag and pushed the race into time beyond regulation.
Watch: Ryan Blaney on Darlington heartbreak: ‘I believed we had the race gained’
At that time, all of it got here all the way down to pit highway the place Blaney’s staff had struggled all day. Once more, he misplaced some spots, fall from first to fourth whereas Hamlin jumped into the lead. He lined up subsequent the automobile he co-owns with Michael Jordan [Reddick], who was wanting on anxiously from the pits. Hamlin proceeded to get a incredible restart and that was basically the tip of it, leaving the remainder of the sector to type it out for the lesser positions.
Byron fought his manner again to second, Bell was third, Reddick fourth, and Blaney fifth. Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Busch rounded out the highest ten.
Learn Additionally:
Pictures from Darlington – Race
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing
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