Denny Hamlin earned his 56th profession Cup win whereas Brandon Jones earned his first Xfinity win in three years at Darlington this weekend. The historical past of the game was as soon as once more honored by way of some distinctive paint schemes whereas stars of the game took goal on the custom. In the meantime, Ryan Blaney can not seem to catch a break and Kyle Larson could not cease his wounded automobile from being a part of the ultimate final result.
Here is a take a look at the most important winners and losers from Darlington:
WINNER: Denny Hamlin goes back-to-back, because of his pit crew
Watch: Again-to-back: Denny Hamlin pulls away in OT to seize Darlington win
For the primary time since 2012, Hamlin has received back-to-back Cup races. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver appears to be in peak type regardless of some vital low season modifications, together with the lack of long-time backer FedEx and a shock change in crew chief. There was no ’11 in opposition to the world flag’ on show this week, and it was a really totally different victory from one week in the past. Whereas he dominated over half the race at Martinsville, he led only a handful of laps at Darlington, lurking simply past the race leaders till the ultimate pit cease of the race vaulted him to the entrance. The No. 11 crew is among the quickest on pit street, using an fascinating behind-the-back maneuver with the jack to get across the automobile faster.
LOSER: Larson spins twice and leaves empty-handed
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Getty Photos
It is a race Kyle Larson goes to need to neglect. The day began effectively, profitable ‘Finest in Present’ for his throwback scheme. Nonetheless, the Kellogg’s-inspired automobile didn’t look that good for lengthy. Larson spun out on his personal inside the first 5 laps of the race, destroying the entrance of the automobile. He returned to the race over 160 laps down, solely to be concerned in one other incident in the identical spot with lower than 5 laps to go within the race. He slowed down abruptly upon seeing Tyler Reddick get into the wall, however in making an attempt to keep away from being a part of a race-altering incident, he as a substitute brought on it. Bubba Wallace couldn’t react in time, spinning Larson out in a warning that in the end value Ryan Blaney the race win.
WINNER: Byron’s surprising domination
Watch: William Byron unable to provide you with Darlington win: ‘Nonetheless quite a lot of positives’
William Byron did not win Sunday’s race at Darlington, however he made fairly the assertion anyway. He led the primary 243 laps unopposed with no single lead change — it is domination that hasn’t been seen in 25 years. He solely misplaced the lead as a consequence of a late spherical of green-flag pit stops, however nonetheless rallied again to complete second in time beyond regulation. He ended up main an astonishing 81.8% of the laps, additional cementing his place atop the championship standings.
LOSER: One step ahead and two steps again for Ryan Blaney
Watch: Ryan Blaney on Darlington heartbreak: ‘I believed we had the race received’
Blaney entered Darlington on the again of three DNFs within the final 4 races, however his long-run pace in apply made the driving force of the No. 12 appear like one of many drivers to beat on Sunday. On race day, he was one of many solely drivers who may persistently move automobiles all through a run, which is lucky contemplating simply what number of automobiles he needed to move. Between ill-timed cautions and sluggish pit stops, Blaney discovered himself preventing by way of the sphere for a lot of the race. He lastly made it to the lead for the very first time with lower than 5 laps to go, however a sudden warning once more derailed his hopes but once more. He misplaced a number of spots on pit street and will solely handle fifth ultimately.
WINNER: Ty Gibbs stops the bleeding
Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos
2025 has been a battle for Gibbs, scoring only a few factors up till the final two weeks, trapped on the very backside of the standings. He began to show issues round at Martinsville, scoring some stage factors and ending thirteenth. Additional enhancements had been made at Darlington, ending ninth. He is now as much as Twenty sixth in factors, which is much away from the place he needs to be, however nonetheless a lot better than the place he was.
LOSER: No repeat win for Keselowski
Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford
Photograph by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos
One other driver who wanted to show issues round was Brad Keselowski. The defending winner of this 400-mile race at Darlington, expectations had been excessive for RFK. At one level, all three automobiles had been operating within the prime ten, however a unfastened wheel derailed Keselowski’s day in the midst of the second stage. He by no means recovered, ending thirty third. The 2012 Cup Sequence champion is averaging a Twenty sixth-place end this yr and presently sits thirty first within the standings.
WINNER: Brandon Jones snaps a three-year winless streak
Watch: Brandon Jones victorious at Darlington: ‘It is good to show haters incorrect once more’
Switching gears to the Xfinity Sequence for a second, we’ve got to shout out Brandon Jones. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver snapped a three-year winless streak, doing so in a race that featured Cup stars Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and Christopher Bell. It was a improbable displaying by Jones, who now has six wins within the Xfinity Sequence.
LOSER: These hating on ‘Throwback Weekend’
Josh Berry, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford
Photograph by: James Gilbert / Getty Photos
Chase Elliott was one of many extra outspoken drivers this weekend, however he wasn’t the one one on the subject of the idea of Throwback Weekend. The consensus amongst some drivers is that it has run its course and needs to be achieved away with. Whereas it is true that solely half of the Cup Sequence area took half and a few sponsors are getting in the way in which of them collaborating, ‘Throwback Weekend’ is a lot greater than the paint schemes. It is about honoring the historical past of the game and whether or not three or 30 groups participate does not change how vital it’s. NASCAR Corridor of Famer Carl Edwards waved the inexperienced flag, Richard and Kyle Petty joined the printed sales space to share tales and historic race automobiles had been paraded across the monitor. It is an incredible custom and will proceed. Sure, a lot of the apparent throwback concepts have been achieved to dying, however nonetheless, there have been groups just like the Wooden Brothers arising with distinctive concepts. And so long as it continues to actively honor the previous, Throwback Weekend has a spot in NASCAR.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Denny Hamlin
Kyle Larson
Ryan Blaney
Brandon Jones
William Byron
Joe Gibbs Racing
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