Latest news with #DennyHamlin
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Denny Hamlin shows killer Monster Mile mentality, giving NASCAR fans a thrilling OT win
DOVER − This is what Dover Motor Speedway officials must have dreamed about. A brilliantly hot and humid summer day, with race fans and non-race fans alike taking in the "Miles Beach" and all the accoutrements, the concerts on the various stages, and all of the activities on the outside of the track. Then those who sat in the grandstand saw a AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 race that was thrilling throughout, including two overtimes, on July 20. RAIN, OVERTIME AT DOVER: Thrilling NASCAR race at Dover has rain delay with 14 laps left, OT as 2 top drivers battle That was especially true after a brief rain shower that stopped the race with 14 laps remaining. When racing resumed after a one-hour delay, Denny Hamlin ended up winning for the third time at Dover, and for the second straight year, by holding off Chase Briscoe to win after 407 laps. Hamlin is the 19th driver to win three races at Dover, and the 13th to win back-to-back races at the Monster Mile. And this victory showed why Hamlin is the perfect driver for the Monster Mile, and the high-banked oval is the perfect track for him. "I'm just so highly competitive," Hamlin said. "That's the only way I can explain it. I just don't know if there's anyone on the face of the earth that's more competitive than I am. I'm sure there is, I just don't know. "And so, I just feel like, when I'm tested, I'm going to give you a little more. If you doubt me, I'm going to give you a little more. I just feel like I thrive in game-time moments." Hamilton had three of those moments. First, Hamlin had to hold off Christopher Bell for about 40 laps after taking the lead on Lap 343. With storm clouds moving in, Bell knew that he would have to make his move, either hoping to finish the race in first place before the rain hit, or at least be in the lead when the race was stopped. Then magically, the skies cleared after a brief rainstorm, thus making it inevitable that the race would resume once the track was dried. So Bell immediately went for the lead upon the green flag on Lap 392. Hamlin wouldn't give in and Bell crashed. That set up overtime. On the next restart on Lap 399, Briscoe was in second place, and immediately went after Hamlin. Another crash on that first lap led to another restart on Lap 405. This time, Hamlin had to hold off Briscoe again as Briscoe tried cutting underneath him. "I thought I had him," Briscoe said. "I was so close to clearing him. I just couldn't do it." Briscoe had fresher tires, pitting after the red flag for rain. Hamlin last pitted for tires on Lap 327, meaning that Briscoe's were 60 laps fresher. So after the second overtime restart, Briscoe attacked. But Hamlin wasn't going to be denied. No wonder Hamlin's crew chief, Chris Gayle, said, "that was tough on the ticker." Then he added: "Give kudos to Denny. When you get him in a situation where he's got the ball in his hands, and it's time to go win the race, he finds a way to do that most times." And that goes to show the beauty of the "Monster Mile." It's not for the timid or faint of heart. Alex Bowman, who won the spring race in 2021, was the last time a non-Hall of Fame driver, or one who's going to be in the NASCAR Hall, won here since Greg Biffle in the spring race in 2005. But Bowman had won four races in 2021, so it's not like his victory at Dover came out of the blue. Bowman, by the way, was third on July 20. "It was good, hard racing," Hamlin said. "You've got three guys racing (for the lead), and you gotta show them who's boss." "It's critical, right," Gayle said about having that mentality. "Some guys will shy away from that moment. Some guys will embrace it ... He wants to be in that situation, to be able to get a win, and that's what happened." So yes, there was something for everyone, both on the track and off. A subplot to the race was the NASCAR In-Season Tournament Challenge. Dover represented the fourth of five races as 32 drivers were seeded and paired up in a bracket-style situation with the winner advancing and the loser being eliminated. At Dover, Ty Dillon, seeded No. 32 and last, won his fourth straight matchup, finishing 20th overall and beating his semifinal opponent John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 12 seed. Ty Gibbs, seeded No. 6, beat Tyler Reddick in the other semifinal. Dillon will face Gibbs next Sunday at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. The winner takes home $1 million. PROVING GROUND: NASCAR at Dover: Why this 3-time winner has most to prove. Is Katherine Legge racing? And there was more intrigue. There are five races to go before the playoff field is set, following the Daytona race on Aug. 23. So far, 12 drivers have won a race and thus qualified for the 16-driver playoff field held over the final 10 races of the season. Three of those drivers − Shane van Gisbergen (26th), Josh Berry (21st) and Austin Cindric (20th) − are beyond the top 16, meaning that they could bump three drivers in the top 16 who haven't won a race this season. There was little chance of one of those drivers winning at Dover. The Monster is just too unforgiving, and Hamlin is too unrelenting. Celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book Hamlin wasn't angst-ridden, wondering if the race would resume as the rains come down. Rather, he was counting on it, thinking, "Who am I going to beat next?" So Hamlin said he smiled when he heard the fans in the stands cheering as the rain stopped, a rainbow formed, and the drying trucks came out. Soon after, the race restarted, and Hamlin was holding off any and all challengers. Hamlin was ready. So were the fans at Dover. "You had fans out there who were very enthusiastic when they saw the sun come out," Hamlin said. "I loved that enthusiasm from the fan base. (NASCAR) wanted to give them all the racing that they could at the end of that race." Hamlin made it worthwhile, a fitting finish to a chaotic Dover race weekend, Miles Beach, rain, overtime, and everything in between. Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@ Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in 'Flying High,' a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Denny Hamlin thrills NASCAR, Dover Motor Speedway fans in OT victory
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Thrilling NASCAR race at Dover has rain delay with 14 laps left, OT as 2 top drivers battle
DOVER − The NASCAR Cup Series race at AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway was delayed by rain with 14 laps remaining on July 20. The delay lasted 56 minutes as a storm moved quickly through the area. NASCAR officials set a drop-dead time of 8:10 p.m. because Dover doesn't have lights at the racetrack. Denny Hamlin was in the lead when racing was halted after 386 laps. He was clinging to a slim lead over Christopher Bell as the two went back and forth ever since a restart on Lap 343. With the weather growing ominous, Bell kept trying to pass Hamlin, who managed to hold him off. NASCAR IN DOVER UPDATE: Denny Hamlin shows killer Monster Mile mentality, giving fans a thrilling OT win After the restart, Bell crashed, bringing out another caution and guaranteeing overtime. Hamlin then outraced Chase Briscoe to win after 407 laps. Ross Chastain crashed on Lap 383 bringing out the caution flag. As the yellow flag was up, the rain started, causing the race to stop. Soon after, the rain stopped, and the sun reappeared. Then it became a question of how quickly officials can dry the track at the high-banked oval at The Monster Mile. When they did resume, there was plenty of time left to finish the final 14 laps. Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@ Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in 'Flying High,' a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Rain delays NASCAR race at Dover with 14 laps left, Denny Hamlin leading
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
2025 NASCAR Odds: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin Open As Favorites For Brickyard 400
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. And when it comes to the odds, bettors can dive into that action and place wagers on which driver they think has what it takes to win outright. Last weekend at Dover, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson closed as the favorites at +450. Hamlin ended up getting into victory lane for the second year in a row at the track. This week, the early line at the top of the board looks similar to last week's, as Larson and Hamlin open as favorites again. Will one of them take the checkered flag on Sunday? Let's dive into the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 23. Kyle Larson: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)Denny Hamlin: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)Ryan Blaney: +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)William Byron: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)Chase Elliott: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)Chase Briscoe: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Tyler Reddick: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)Christopher Bell: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)Chris Buescher: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)Joey Logano: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)Brad Keselowski: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)Carson Hocevar: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Ty Gibbs: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)Kyle Busch: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)Bubba Wallace: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Ross Chastain: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Austin Cindric: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Alex Bowman: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)Josh Berry: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Ryan Preece: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Shane van Gisbergen: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)Daniel Suarez: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)John Hunter Nemechek: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)AJ Allmendinger: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)Michael McDowell: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Noah Gragson: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Austin Dillon: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Zane Smith: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)Justin Haley: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Jesse Love: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Cole Custer: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Ty Dillon: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Todd Gilliland: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Riley Herbst: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Jesse Love: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)Josh Bilicki: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Cody Ware: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Katherine Legge: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Fox Sports
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
2025 NASCAR Odds: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin Open As Favorites For Brickyard 400
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Brickyard 400. And when it comes to the odds, bettors can dive into that action and place wagers on which driver they think has what it takes to win outright. Last weekend at Dover, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson closed as the favorites at +450. Hamlin ended up getting into victory lane for the second year in a row at the track. This week, the early line at the top of the board looks similar to last week's, as Larson and Hamlin open as favorites again. Will one of them take the checkered flag on Sunday? Let's dive into the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 23. Brickyard 400 2025 Kyle Larson : +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Denny Hamlin : +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Ryan Blaney : +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total) William Byron : +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total) Chase Elliott: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total) Chase Briscoe : +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total) Tyler Reddick : +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total) Christopher Bell : +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Chris Buescher : +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total) Joey Logano : +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Brad Keselowski : +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total) Carson Hocevar : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Ty Gibbs : +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total) Kyle Busch : +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total) Bubba Wallace : +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Ross Chastain : +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Austin Cindric : +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Alex Bowman : +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total) Josh Berry : +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total) Ryan Preece : +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total) Shane van Gisbergen : +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total) Daniel Suarez : +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total) John Hunter Nemechek : +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Erik Jones : +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) AJ Allmendinger : +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total) Michael McDowell : +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. : +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Noah Gragson : +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Austin Dillon : +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Zane Smith : +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total) Justin Haley : +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)Jesse Love: +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total) Cole Custer : +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total) Ty Dillon : +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total) Todd Gilliland : +30000 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total) Riley Herbst : +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total) Jesse Love: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total) Josh Bilicki: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total) Cody Ware : +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)Katherine Legge: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 2 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Through the Gears: Denny Hamlin dries off. Court date looms. Chase Elliott morphs
Talk about mixed emotions at Dover. The week turned out quite well for Denny Hamlin the racecar driver. Denny Hamlin the plaintiff? Not so much, though he suggested things won't get fully up to speed for several more months. We'll get to that and honestly try to make sense of it all, but let's assume everyone is OK if we start by talking about auto racing. Good? Good. Hamlin and his No. 11 Toyota have been pretty darn good all year and that shouldn't be a shocker, since that particular man-and-machine combo has been really good for just about this entire century. But to win Sunday, Hamlin chose Nomex over vulcanized rubber. You heard me right, but settle down, I promise we're still talking about racing. Along the way, Hamlin had to beat back two on-rushing teammates in the closing laps. First, Christopher Bell took himself out with as pretty a pirouette as you'll ever see — he never touched a thing, but some of those in avoidance mode sure did. And then Chase Briscoe, who nosed to the lead on the final overtime restart but couldn't stick the landing. Turns out, he was on newer rubber but older Nomex. Grab that shifter and let's get up to speed. First Gear: Who needs fresh Goodyears when you have dry duds? It's doubtful you came here for an old Deion Sanders quote, but here you go. 'If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.' During one of two late rain delays, Hamlin told the TNT broadcast audience he was going to change into a fresh Nomex-woven uniform because his was soaked with that nasty brew of sweat and rain and Lord knows what else gets kicked up and tossed through that window net. Yes, he was on worn tires, but he suggested fresh duds might make him feel fresher than he really was. He won, you know, so who's to doubt him? What's doubtful, however, is anytime in the near future, we'll hear a crew chief call his driver to the pits for right-side tires and a dry uniform. But there was also a time when sub-20-second pit stops seemed like science fiction. Second Gear: Denny Hamlin sends us an invitation (to court) Barring a serious change in strategy, not to mention tone, Hamlin's next big uniform change will see him shed the Nomex for wool or cotton, as he slips into a fancy bib-and-tucker for a December court date that continues to loom large up there around Turn 4. Up-to-speed time: Hamlin is co-owner of 23XI Racing, which along with Front Row Motorsports is suing NASCAR, alleging antitrust violations. Both teams have three cars, and all six are among the 36 'chartered' cars, meaning they're locked into each week's race while four additional spots are available to non-charted (or 'open') teams. Since the two plaintiff teams didn't agree to new charter terms late last year (13 other teams, which field 30 cars, did sign), NASCAR has said they forfeited their charters. A judge said that's not right, then another judge said yes it is, and another had to say the second judge was right and then … oh, never mind, who can keep up? Anyway, the two teams aren't currently chartered but won't miss any races, even if more than four 'open' cars enter an upcoming race (which is usually unlikely, given recent history). In fact, NASCAR did what it does throughout the season — update the rulebook. Usually it's about an evolving technical issue, but the day after Dover, NASCAR amended the rules in a way that basically guarantees 23XI and Front Row will have reserved seats for the rest of the season. And 29 days after the season finale, and just nine days after the awards banquet, the two teams and NASCAR (and their legal stormtroopers) are scheduled to be in court to start the official proceedings. Hamlin was asked about the ongoing friction during the Dover weekend and didn't break character. 'All I can tell you,' he began, 'and this will be my blanket answer for all questions about this … if you want answers, you want to understand all of why this is happening, come Dec. 1. You will get the answers that you are looking for and all will be exposed. 'Mark your calendar.' That's gonna be one awkward banquet if he finally wins a championship. Third Gear: Ty times Two as NASCAR brackets reach final rung Whose brackets had Ty Gibbs versus Ty Dillon in the final? Such a possibility was inherent when NASCAR debuted this five-week, in-season tournament to coincide with TNT's five weeks of coverage. At least Gibbs finished fifth at Dover to win his semifinal over Tyler Reddick, who slipped out of the top 10 in the late laps. Dillon finished 20th, one better than semifinal foe John Hunter Nemechek, and needed the day's final 'lucky dog' free pass to do it. Listen, don't be too cynical. At least they tried something, bless their hearts. And hey, there's a million bucks on the line for the Dillon and Gibbs teams. Assuming there's something close to the old industry standard — team and driver splitting race winnings — that'd be a helluva payday for Dillon. And not a bad one for team owner Matt Kaulig, who'd have to sell a lot of gutter guards to make 500k. Do your own research on that one. Fourth Gear: Chase Elliott makes his point(s) We should've smelled a rat when William Byron won the Daytona 500 but left town second in the standings, one point behind Ryan Blaney, who piled up race-day points with stage finishes of first and third. Two weeks later, Byron took over the points lead and held onto it after 17 of the next 18 races, despite not winning another race and despite a recent slump bordering on two months. He's finished 27th or worse in five of the last seven races, and in those other two, he was a ho-hum (for him) eighth and ninth. So your new leader atop the regular-season standings is Chase Elliott, who has morphed into Terry Labonte and become a points hoarder for most of this season. — Email Ken Willis at This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Denny Hamlin wins Dover, NASCAR amends, and it might get real awkward
