Denny Hamlin NASCAR Las Vegas victory headlined a dramatic day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as Hamlin surged ahead in the final laps to secure his 60th NASCAR Cup Series win, claiming the first spot in the Championship 4 for the upcoming finale in Phoenix. The race featured fierce battles among Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports drivers, a series of mechanical mishaps, and crashes that reshuffled the playoff landscape on Sunday.
Front Row Contenders and Early Setbacks
The race began with three cars from Joe Gibbs Racing and three from Hendrick Motorsports dominating the top-six starting positions. Denny Hamlin captured the pole, narrowly edging out his teammate Chase Briscoe for the top spot. On the opening lap, however, Hamlin struggled to shift into fifth gear, allowing Briscoe to seize the early lead while Hamlin slipped back.
Chase Briscoe’s fortune faltered during the race’s initial green flag pit stops. A troublesome left rear wheel caused a delay on pit road, forcing Briscoe to lose several positions and enabling William Byron to emerge in front, closely followed by Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson. The competitive tension built as drivers jockeyed for prominent placements, highlighting the depth of talent among the field’s playoff contenders.
Incidents and Strategy Shape the Opening Stages
With just nine laps to go in the first stage, Ryan Blaney’s race quickly unraveled after a left front tire failure sent his car into the wall, inflicting significant damage. Blaney managed to return to pit road but soon had to retire, his day ended prematurely by steering damage. William Byron clinched the first stage after a tense three-lap sprint, finishing ahead of Larson, Briscoe, Hamlin, and Elliott.
The restart for stage two saw further drama as Byron, the first stage winner, was nearly spun by Briscoe in a miscalculated push through the zone. Byron corrected and kept racing, losing only two spots. Elsewhere, Chase Elliott’s chance faded when a wayward tire rolled out of his pit box, resulting in a penalty that dropped him a lap behind as he fought to recover.
Kyle Larson capitalized during the second stage, securing the win over Reddick, Byron, Hamlin, and Briscoe. Elliott regained lost ground with a free pass, getting back on the lead lap by passing Todd Gilliland and others. The stage reinforced the fierce competition among the playoff drivers and signaled that the final segment would be hard-fought.
Lead Changes, Crashes, and Late Chaos
As the final stage began, Larson and Byron ran at the front, shadowed by a trio of Toyota drivers: Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Reddick. With fewer than 50 laps to go, green flag pit stops shuffled the leaders again—Byron accelerated off pit road ahead of Larson to retake the top position. Larson answered back within ten laps when Byron’s car lost grip, opening the door for Larson to reclaim the lead.
Moments later, mayhem struck. As Ty Dillon slowed suddenly to enter pit road, Byron’s car slammed into the back of Dillon, ending both drivers’ races in a violent crash. While Dillon questioned what unfolded, Byron expressed his devastation:
“I didn’t see any indication that he was pitting. Nobody said anything to my spotter, I had zero idea. He just started slowing and I had no idea what was going on, I’m just devastated. For random shit to happen like that, it just sucks.”
William Byron, Driver
Tactical Pit Calls and the Decisive Battle
Renewed turmoil entered the fray as drivers dove into turn one. Ty Gibbs tried to follow Alex Bowman in a bold three-wide maneuver, getting squeezed and hit by Shane van Gisbergen on the outside. The closing laps shaped up for a duel with differing pit strategies—Briscoe and Joey Logano took two tires to gain initial track position while Hamlin and others opted for four fresh tires. Briscoe snatched the lead but battled with Logano, Larson, and ultimately Hamlin for supremacy.
Both Larson and Hamlin made their moves to overtake Briscoe, with Larson briefly gaining control before Briscoe powered back. With less than five laps left, Hamlin charged through using the outside lane, overtaking Briscoe for the lead. The final three laps saw Hamlin maintain the advantage, crossing the finish line for his milestone NASCAR Cup Series win.
“This is the point where I kind of give the fans some shit, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much. Obviously I want to say hi to my dad, family back at home, all the friends that came out here for Vegas, hoping we get 60.”
Denny Hamlin, Driver
Finishers and Their Reactions
Kyle Larson came home second, 1.5 seconds behind Hamlin. He was followed by Bell, Briscoe, and Reddick to round out the top five. Larson reflected on the tumultuous race and his team’s effort:
“Hats off to my team, too. We had an awesome day, as well. I think we were second maybe in the first stage, won the next stage, and second in the race. Good points day obviously. Would have liked the issue with the 10 and the 24 to not happen because we had just kind of taken control of the race there and were going to cruise to victory. That’s racing. It gets crazy.”
Kyle Larson, Driver
Larson added about the finish,
“Happy, though, to still get a good finish. It was getting hectic there.”
The Road to Phoenix Continues
Denny Hamlin’s win not only marked an important personal milestone but also locked him into the coveted Championship 4 at Phoenix, raising the stakes for other playoff drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. The field now turns its focus to the next challenge at Talladega Superspeedway, with the Yellawood 500 scheduled for Sunday, October 19th. Las Vegas Motor Speedway served as a crucible, testing drivers’ strategies and composure, while key players like Hamlin, Larson, and Briscoe continue their quest for the championship on NASCAR’s greatest stage.
