The Fire Still Burns: Hamlin Makes History At Pocono
The Fire Still Burns
A little more than six months ago, Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports were in the midst of a bitter antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. At the same time, he was still coming to terms with another championship slipping away in Phoenix, extending a 20-year pursuit of the sport's biggest prize. Many wondered if he still had enough fire in him to pursue the Cup Series Championship once again.
Furthermore, his father, Dennis, was ailing in health and Denny knew that his final chance to win a trophy for his dad had escaped his grasp. Tragedy struck on the night of the Hamlin's anniversary, as a house fire took the life of Dennis and injured Mary Lou. Thankfully, Mary Lou physically recovered, but emotionally, the Hamlins were distraught.
But Denny decided to put on his firesuit once again, determined to make another run at the title. While Hamlin would no longer have the opportunity to celebrate a championship alongside his father, the pursuit remained as important as ever - not only for his family, but for the legacy he hopes to leave behind. He’s already arguably the greatest driver who has never won a championship, but this weekend at Pocono may be remembered as one of the defining races of the season.
Denny's Winning Formula
Denny Hamlin collected his 8th official victory at the “Tricky Triangle” in classic Denny Hamlin style. The victory was the 64th of Hamlin's career, moving him past the late Kyle Busch, his former Joe Gibbs teammate and close friend, on NASCAR's all-time wins list. This was also the first time in Denny's career he has won three-straight races, and he is showing no signs of slowing down in his age-45 season.
Denny had one of the fastest cars on the track all afternoon, particularly on the longer green-flag runs. His pit crew was precise and nailed every pit stop on the day. The adjustments from crew chief Chris Gayle improved his long-run speed, while others faded as he chased them down. His strategy to split the final stage later than Joe Gibbs teammate Christopher Bell proved key, as he caught Bell with under 10 laps to go. Christopher Bell ended up running out of fuel with two laps to go, and that was all Hamlin needed to secure his third consecutive victory.
“The Chase” Battle Heats Up
Several drivers had their day end prematurely, with veteran Brad Keselowski being the first car ruled out with damage. There were some cars that started spinning around him, and as Brad tried to throttle up to make it through the gap in the chaos, he made some big contact with Bubba Wallace who was coming down the track. In his post-race interview, Brad was frustrated with the way other drivers were racing each other that early in the race, causing his third straight DNF after not having one in the first 13 races of the year. He’s now dropped to 17th, just -4 points from the final Chase spot. What appeared to be a comfortable path into “The Chase” has quickly turned into one of the biggest storylines to watch throughout this summer stretch. Every stage point and finishing position over the coming weeks could determine whether his championship hopes survive to Darlington.
Two drivers who should not be counted out of “The Chase” just yet are Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek of Legacy Motor Club. Those two have picked up the pace in the last few weeks, and if they continue, they both could earn a spot to compete for the Championship. Both have continued to improve their finishing positions week after week, and John Hunter has already led more laps (61) in the 16 points races this season than he has in any season prior to this year. Erik Jones is on pace for his best statistical season since joining Legacy Motor Club in 2022. They both have qualified and run much better at almost every style of track since the All-Star break. Jones currently has one of the last two spots in the Top 16, but John Hunter has a lot more work to do at -78 to the cut-line. The gap is not impossible to overcome, but Nemechek needs to hope that he can outrun those drivers above him consistently and put together a string of races that will close the margin between him and his competitors.
Todd Gilliland earned his first career Stage win at Pocono, stretching his fuel to pull off an improbable stage win to help earn himself some additional points for the day. He ended up in 19th at the finish, and the points he earned in Stage 1 helped him inch closer to the cut-line. He sits 25th in points, -72 back of the last spot in The Chase. He will need a remarkable second half of the season as he hopes to work his way into the 16-driver field for “The Chase”.
The Xfinity Fastest Lap went to Chris Buescher, who ran the fastest lap of the race on Lap 92 with a 52.682 second lap on the 2.5 mile triangle for an average of 170.836 MPH. Buescher had a fairly consistent day, making the best of a great qualifying effort from Saturday.
Looking Ahead To Coronado
This upcoming week is going to be very interesting, as all three series are headed out west to Naval Station Coronado. With no driver possessing real-world race experience on the course, teams will enter the weekend relying heavily on simulation data and preparation, creating one of the biggest unknowns of the season. For Hamlin, Coronado presents another opportunity to continue one of the hottest streaks of his career. For everyone else, it may be their best chance to stop it.
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