DOVER, Delaware — Denny Hamlin hesitated when a surfboard meant for a charity signing was put on the ground. At his age, Hamlin joked, he might not be able to get back up. The 44-year-old driver expressed similar worries about aging the night before when the TV image he was watching as he began to fall asleep appeared slightly out of focus.
"Am I losing my vision?" Hamlin asked.
Hamlin's focus was sharp on Sunday at Dover — his eyes firmly fixed on the winner's circle.
Hamlin can remove distractions and achieve success that very few drivers in the series can: He overcame a legal issue with NASCAR, ignored concerns about worn tires after taking a late lead before a rain break, and managed a final push from his teammate to secure a back-to-back win at Dover Motor Speedway, marking the Joe Gibbs Racing driver's fourth victory of the season.
I really enjoy being able to perform at a top level," Hamlin stated. "Each morning when I wake up, I just pray I still have the same ability as before.
Hamlin secured victory in the No. 11 Toyota for the second consecutive time at Dover, expanding his season's triumphs to include Martinsville, Darlington, and Michigan.
Hamlin has secured 58 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, falling two victories behind Kevin Harvick for the 10th position on the all-time list. The experienced driver from Virginia could reach this milestone this season while aiming for his first ever Cup title.
Hamlin is among NASCAR's select group of exceptional drivers who have never claimed a championship. He refuses to let the absence of a title on an otherwise impressive record, filled with Hall of Fame achievements, influence his perspective on his professional journey.
Hamlin states that it's the trophies, not the titles, that he celebrates the most.
If we do, we do. If we don't, we don't," Hamlin stated. "I'm focused on victories. I desire more awards, more awards, more awards. By the time I'm finished, I want to be among the top-10 highest-winning drivers in history. That will carry more weight than any other achievement.
Hamlin crossed the finish line days following a legal challenge involving his own 23XI Racing team's federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.
On Thursday, a federal judge turned down a proposal from 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to keep competing with charters while they take on NASCAR in court, which means their six vehicles will participate as open entries this weekend at Dover, the following week at Indianapolis, and potentially for an extended period, according to the teams, who claim this could jeopardize their survival.
Hamlin promised that "everything will come to light" if the case proceeds to its planned trial on December 1st.
The legal proceeding has not impacted Hamlin's performance during the race. Hamlin managed to hold back his JGR teammate Chase Briscoe to secure the win. Drivers from Hendrick Motorsports claimed the following two positions, with Alex Bowman finishing in third and Kyle Larson in fourth.
I believed I had done everything required," Briscoe stated. "I thought I had him for a moment. I wish the Camry's rear was approximately 3 inches shorter. I was very close to passing him. I just couldn't manage it. Obviously, racing against a teammate, I wanted to ensure that at least a JGR car would win.
Hamlin managed to stay ahead of Kyle Larson in the final moments of last season, securing his second victory out of three career wins at the Monster Mile.
The inaugural July Cup event at Dover since 1969 began with hot weather, and drivers faced challenging conditions inside their vehicles during a mostly clean race until rain arrived late, causing the race to be red-flagged with 14 laps remaining. Hamlin mentioned that during the pause, he changed his firesuit — temperatures inside the car reached 140 degrees, and sweat continued to drip into his visor.
He also went back to the car following a 56-minute wait with worn-out tires. Hamlin, who was the top choice to win according to BETMGM Sportsbook, had sufficient speed on cool tires at Dover and managed to position the Toyota in the winner's area.
There was never a genuine plan to compete with the leader using new tires.
We need victories," crew chief Chris Gayle stated. "What's the best way to create more chances for that to occur? It might not work, but we certainly weren't going to keep doing what everyone else was doing. That was our approach, and fortunately it paid off, allowing us to hold on.
He was the 19th driver in Cup history to secure three victories at Dover, and the 13th competitor to claim back-to-back wins on the one-mile concrete track.
I've studied some of the top drivers here," Hamlin said. "I was really lucky to have Martin Truex as a teammate. Jimmie Johnson, watching him win (11) times here. You learn from the best and adjust your approach to match theirs, which leads to success like this.
In-season challenge
The Tys have it in NASCAR.
The upcoming race at Indianapolis will feature Ty Gibbs against Ty Dillon to determine the initial winner in NASCAR's $1 million mid-season competition.
NASCAR selected 32 drivers for the inaugural In-season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-based competition similar to the NCAA basketball tournaments.
Both drivers have yet to secure a victory, with Dillon entering as the No. 32 seed. Gibbs placed fifth on Sunday for JGR.
John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick were removed.
Logano’s 600th
Joey Logano placed 14th with Team Penske during his 600th professional race.
Logano has participated in every race since 2009, achieving 597 consecutive starts, bringing him close to Jeff Gordon's Cup record of 797 straight starts.
Logano was 35 years, 1 month, and 26 days old when he achieved No. 600 on Sunday, becoming the youngest driver to accomplish this feat. He surpassed seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty by six months.
Petty is the sole driver to have achieved victory in his 600th race.
Up next
It's heading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Kyle Larson secured victory last season on the oval following a four-year hiatus from the road course.
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