Denny Hamlin surged from sixth place to secure victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, clinching his 60th NASCAR Cup Series win and a spot in the Championship 4. This dramatic Denny Hamlin Las Vegas victory was sealed after a final restart, overcoming setbacks and fierce competition to reach a career milestone.
Hamlin’s Late Charge and Emotional Finish
On a tense afternoon, Hamlin started from the pole position but faced difficulties throughout the race, including two challenging pit stops. Ultimately, his determination paid off as he overtook Chase Briscoe, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, with just three laps to go, locking in his sixth win of the season—more than any other driver so far.
After capturing the checkered flag, Hamlin’s emotions were plain as he addressed fans and media, battling tears. He spoke directly to NBC Sports’ Marty Snider and the crowd, expressing gratitude and reflecting on the significance of the moment:
“Obviously want to say hi to my dad, family back at home, all the friends that came out here hoping we get 60. I didn’t think we were. Just put the pedal down those last 10 laps and made it happen. Chris (Gayle) did an amazing job on that final stop getting the car just right. I just held it down. It’s all I could do just to go for it. Feels great.”
— Denny Hamlin, Driver
Top Finishers and Playoff Implications
Following Hamlin’s triumph, Kyle Larson finished in second, with Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, and Tyler Reddick completing the top five. The top ten also featured Joey Logano, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece, and Brad Keselowski. Chase Elliott ended the day in 18th place as six of the remaining eight playoff drivers remained within the top 20, highlighting the ongoing pressure of the NASCAR postseason.
Costly Incidents Impacting Contenders
The race’s intensity was underscored by dramatic incidents that jeopardized the title hopes of two championship favorites. With 31 laps remaining, regular-season champion William Byron crashed heavily into Ty Dillon’s slowing car, an unexpected collision that left Byron reeling and devastated for his team’s chances.
“I never saw him wave,” Bryon told NBC Sports’ Marty Snider.
“I didn’t see any indication he was pitting, and I thought the cycle was fully over. Nobody said anything to my spotter from what I know. I had zero idea. Everyone’s been wrapping the paint around the corner, and that’s what I was doing to have a good lap. I was watching him, thinking he missed the bottom a little bit, and then he just started slowing, and I just had no idea what was going on. I’m just devastated. I had no indication. Obviously, I wouldn’t have run full speed into the back of him.”
— William Byron, Driver
Dillon, who was grappling with mechanical trouble and already off the lead lap, acknowledged the miscommunication about his decision to pit, further compounding the drama:
“Yeah, it was a rough day for our team.”
— Ty Dillon, Driver
“I don’t know what we do different. We were taking our medicine on the day. Unfortunately, I hate it for Hendrick and the Chevrolet guys it happened that way. I’m not even looking out the mirror at that point. I’m just trying to hit my marks to get on pit road. He hit me hard. Unforunate way for that to happen. That was pretty much the line I had taken (to the pits) all day. I don’t think I was egregious in that. Maybe just a lack of information being transferred.”
— Ty Dillon, Driver
Byron, who led 55 laps across three stretches and captured victory in Stage 1, saw his day end in disappointment as a separate incident caused him to lose the lead, opening the door for Larson to slip past just five laps earlier. Byron gave his thoughts on being stripped of a likely winning opportunity:
“We were right there (for the win) with (Larson),”
— William Byron, Driver
“I got loose and lost the lead. Just kind of pacing it. Just as good as we were and the race was going, for random (stuff) to happen like that, it just sucks. I can’t believe it. During the cycle, you’re anticipating guys pitting. It just sucks.”
— William Byron, Driver
Ryan Blaney’s Playoff Setback
Ryan Blaney, one of the top contenders for the Championship 4, suffered a devastating blow on Lap 72. His bid derailed after slamming into the Turn 4 wall with a left-front tire failure, ultimately leaving him last in the final standings for the race. Blaney reflected on the sudden setback and his next steps:
“I didn’t have any thoughts that it was going to blow,”
— Ryan Blaney, Driver
“As soon as I lifted into (Turn 3), it blew out.”
— Ryan Blaney, Driver
Despite the disappointment, Blaney vowed resilience as he looks ahead to critical races at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway, both tracks where he has recent wins:
“It’s unfortunate we’ve got to be in these spots, but we’ve got to bounce back,”
— Ryan Blaney, Driver
“We’ll have to come from behind like we did last year. Hopefully, we can win one of the next two weeks. We just can’t have a smooth day it seems like. You’ve got to be optimistic. I’m not very happy right now, but tomorrow morning I’ll be optimistic to go to the next race. We’ve had good success at the next two events, so hopefully we can come and bring the speed and try to overcome the hole we put ourselves in today.”
— Ryan Blaney, Driver
Stage Winners and the Road Ahead
Stage 1 was won by William Byron, while Kyle Larson secured victory in Stage 2, underpinning their strong performances before misfortune struck for Byron. For the remaining playoff hopefuls and their teams—Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and the rest—the stakes only continue to rise as the competition heads next to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 19th at 2 p.m. ET, airing on NBC.
With Denny Hamlin’s Las Vegas victory propelling him into the Championship 4, the battle intensifies for drivers like Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron. The coming races at Talladega and Martinsville will shape the lineup for the series finale, as every team and driver faces mounting pressure and uncertainty in their quest for NASCAR’s top prize.
