The 2025 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway had everything fans could ask for: high speeds, multiple lead changes, and a dramatic finish shaped by fuel strategy. On Sunday afternoon, it was Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin who outlasted the chaos, using patience and perfect timing to snatch the win with just four laps to go. Hamlin’s savvy and experience proved pivotal as he surged past William Byron late and held off a fast-closing Chris Buescher to earn his third victory of the season and 57th of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Fuel Strategy Makes the Difference
Denny Hamlin didn’t lead the most laps—but he led the ones that mattered. The No. 11 Toyota driver played it smart all day, managing his fuel and tires while others pressed their luck. With just four laps to go, Hamlin passed William Byron, who had been among the dominant cars but was forced to back off to conserve fuel. That move gave Hamlin clean air, and from there he never looked back.
“I was trying to be really disciplined about saving fuel. I saw some of the others push hard early, and I just hoped we’d have enough,” Hamlin said in Victory Lane. “That call was all on Chris Gabehart (crew chief), and it worked out perfectly.”
Hamlin led only five of the race’s 200 laps, but his timing was impeccable. It was a classic case of saving the best for last, and it paid off with a 1.099-second margin of victory.
Top Finishers and Notable Performances
Chris Buescher came up just short but had a strong day, finishing second for RFK Racing. Ty Gibbs, in his sophomore Cup season, continued to impress by rounding out the podium in third. Gibbs ran solidly inside the top ten all day, and his effort marked his fourth top-five finish of the year.
Michigan Heritage Trophy: secured ✅🏆#FireKeepersCasino400 pic.twitter.com/RUpEOmxxPn
— Michigan International Speedway (@MISpeedway) June 8, 2025
Bubba Wallace had one of his best races of the season, finishing fourth in the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, while Kyle Larson brought his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet home in fifth despite a grueling stretch of races, including a wild sprint car wreck just 24 hours earlier.
Other drivers in the top ten included Ross Chastain, Zane Smith—who continues to turn heads in his full-time Cup campaign—Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece, and Brad Keselowski. Notably, Keselowski’s top-ten finish came after a quiet weekend, showing his team’s ability to overperform when it counts.
Tyler Reddick, the defending Michigan winner, finished 13th. Josh Berry (12th) and Erik Jones (11th) also had strong outings, continuing solid mid-season form.
Tough Day for Big Names
While Hamlin celebrated, several other top drivers were left scratching their heads. Joey Logano, the defending Cup Series champion, could never find his rhythm and ended up 22nd. Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe faded dramatically to finish 23rd after leading early.
William Byron, who seemed in control during the final stage, gambled on fuel and lost—falling back to 28th when he had to back off his pace. It was a bitter pill for the Hendrick Motorsports team, which had hoped for their third win of the season.
Ryan Blaney, coming off a win in Nashville, suffered from handling issues and a poor qualifying effort, finishing 32nd. His Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric finished just one spot ahead in 31st. Meanwhile, Alex Bowman’s rough season continued with a last-place finish (36th) after mechanical problems sidelined him early.
Full Race Results: 2025 FireKeepers Casino 400
| POS. | Car No. | Driver Name |
| 1 | #11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2 | #17 | Chris Buescher |
| 3 | #54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 4 | #23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 5 | #5 | Kyle Larson |
| 6 | #1 | Ross Chastain |
| 7 | #38 | Zane Smith |
| 8 | #8 | Kyle Busch |
| 9 | #60 | Ryan Preece |
| 10 | #6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 11 | #43 | Erik Jones |
| 12 | #21 | Josh Berry |
| 13 | #45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 14 | #99 | Daniel Suárez |
| 15 | #9 | Chase Elliott |
| 16 | #20 | Christopher Bell |
| 17 | #16 | A. J. Allmendinger |
| 18 | #88 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 19 | #3 | Austin Dillon |
| 20 | #47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 21 | #7 | Justin Haley |
| 22 | #22 | Joey Logano |
| 23 | #19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 24 | #10 | Ty Dillon |
| 25 | #35 | Riley Herbst |
| 26 | #51 | Cody Ware |
| 27 | #4 | Noah Gragson |
| 28 | #24 | William Byron |
| 29 | #77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 30 | #71 | Michael McDowell |
| 31 | #2 | Austin Cindric |
| 32 | #12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 33 | #34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 34 | #42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 35 | #41 | Cole Custer |
| 36 | #48 | Alex Bowman |
News in Brief: Full NASCAR Cup Results from Michigan
The NASCAR Cup Series now shifts gears for a historic trip to Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on June 15 for the 16th race of the 2025 season. With Hamlin continuing to build momentum and playoff spots tightening, the stakes are only getting higher.
After a dramatic race at Michigan full of cautions, comebacks, and strategy, fans can expect even more fireworks as the series heads south of the border for the next chapter in what’s shaping up to be a thrilling season.
