After a wild Stage 3 with several cautions and multiple-car wrecks, NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The victory was monumental for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver for several reasons. It was his 60th career win, tying him with Kevin Harvick on the all-time list, his sixth of the season and it he once again rolls his way into the Championship Four.
This One is for Dad
Hamlin broke down during his Victory Lane interview sharing “this one was for his dad,” who is battling health problems. After starting on the pole, the JGR driver led only twice for eight laps, doing so for the final four to earn the win.
“This one really means a lot,” Hamlin said at the Start/Finish Line. “This is the part where I usually give the fans some sh#t, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much.”
As he wiped tears from his eyes, the usual boos from the crowed turned to cheers. He was also visibly emotional during the cool down lap as the team radioed him saying “we know this one is for your dad.”
“Obviously, I want to say hi to my dad and family back at home,” he continued. “I was hoping we were going to get win No. 60, but I didn’t think we were. I just put the pedal down on those last 10 laps and made it happen.
“Chris (Gayle, crew chief) did an amazing job on that final stop to get the car just right and I just held it down. That’s all I could do, just go for it. I felt like I had nothing to lose.
“We’ve punched our ticket now, and it just feels great. I’m super proud of this team for making the adjustments they did and the pit crew for doing a great job. In those last 15 laps, I didn’t think we were going to win but I knew I was going to give it all I had.”
Playoff Contenders Come Close, Others Crash Out
During the final Stage 3, it looked the race could have been won by Playoff contenders William Byron, Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson or Joey Logano.
Briscoe was leading in his No. 19 Toyota before getting passed by his JGR teammate of Hamlin with nine laps to go. After that happened, Briscoe had to battle with former champion and Las Vegas winner Kyle Larson. Then, it was fellow Playoff contender and JGR teammate Christopher Bell in the No. 20 who got by to finish third as Briscoe took fourth.
Larson led four times for a race high 129 laps.
“I thought we did everything that we could do,” Larson said. “The Toyotaâs were really fast for the short run there. I saw the No. 11 (Hamlin) line up behind me and I knew heâd be difficult to hold off. If any one of the Toyotaâs got clear and could get rolling, I knew it would be tough.
“He did a great job, though. He still had to make the right moves, which he did. I felt like I was doing all I could to stay in front of him, while also trying to track down the No. 19 (Chase Briscoe).”
William Byron had a stout day going in his No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. After starting fifth, he led four times for 55 laps. However, his bid for a good finish came to an end on lap 237.
As he was coming through Turns 3&4, he didn’t see the No. 10 of Ty Dillon that had slowed down to hit pit road. Byron was also running low and plowed into the back of Dillon ending his race with heavy damage in 36th place.
“Yeah, I never saw him (Ty Dillon) wave,” Byron said. “I didnât see any indication that he was pitting. It was probably 12 to 15 laps after we had pitted, so I thought the cycle was fully over. Nobody said anything to my spotter, from what I know. I had zero idea
“With as good as we were and as good as the race was going, for random things like that to happen, it just sucks. I canât believe it.
“Obviously I would never do that. During the cycle, youâre anticipating guys pitting. It just sucks.â
Finishes for the other four Playoff contenders were sixth for Logano, 18th for Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney 38th because of damage from a flat tire.
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