Denny Hamlin clinched his 60th career NASCAR Cup Series win with an emotional triumph at the South Point 400 in Las Vegas on Sunday, marking a turning point in his pursuit of the 2023 title. The remarkable win, now known as the Denny Hamlin Vegas victory, not only tied him with Kevin Harvick for career wins but also secured his position in the Championship 4, advancing his championship hopes at Phoenix.
Hamlin Overcomes Historical Struggles at Las Vegas
Despite decades in the sport and multiple successes, Hamlin had long considered Las Vegas Motor Speedway a personal challenge. As the oldest full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, he frequently faced questions about achieving a championship. Before Sunday’s race, the Las Vegas track stood out as a hurdle on his list, further emphasized by his emotional response to the crowd’s applause following his win.
This event marked Hamlin’s sixth Cup Series win of the season, placing him as only the 11th driver to earn 60 career victories in the Cup Series. The feelings ran high for the veteran, who realized he could now approach the looming Phoenix season finale with reduced pressure after achieving an early berth among NASCAR’s final four title contenders.
Strategic Adjustments Key to Hamlin’s Victory
Reflecting on the day, Hamlin acknowledged that Las Vegas differed from his more familiar tracks, such as Kansas. He explained,
“It wasn’t like Kansas, where like I know exactly what I have to have out of my car, I know the feel I need and I’ll know whether we even have it in practice or not is irrelevant.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver
Discussing the technical obstacles he faced, Hamlin stated,
“Vegas was just one where I just don’t feel great at that track, and I think a lot of it is the bumps in Turns 1 and 2 force you to have to do things with your setup that you don’t have to do on other mile and a halfs because it is bumpy and you can’t run your car, quite as low to the ground. So there’s some compromises to be had there,”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Though the No. 11 Toyota qualified on pole, Hamlin spent much of the early race fighting setup issues. Admitting he was “hanging on” during the opening stage, he credited his crew chief, Chris Gayle, for bold, necessary adjustments throughout the race. Hamlin recalled,
“Listen, we got the car better. The first stage, we were not very good. I was hanging on, and we got a good stage finish because we got a good restart at the end of the stage, and then we just kept working on it,”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver. He added,
“And that’s what I really like about Chris Gayle. He is not afraid to put wrenches in the car if he has got to.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Pivotal Last Laps and the “Winning Formula”
The turning point arrived after a critical pit stop as the final laps unfolded. Hamlin described the breakthrough,
“The last 10 laps, I found what that winning formula was and now when I go back, hopefully that means that I’m going to be searching for whatever that was.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver.
During a conversation with his friend and podcast co-host, Hamlin was asked,
“How did you miraculously find it in the final 10 laps?”
– Co-host. With his trademark candor, Hamlin responded,
“I know this sounds really elementary, but I pushed the gas down harder.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver.
However, the decisive difference was not as simple as just pedal pressure. The experienced collaboration between Hamlin, his crew, and crew chief Chris Gayle made consistent progress throughout the day, helping Hamlin unlock the car’s maximum potential. Summing up the effort, he states,
“We made it better and better as the day went on.”
– Denny Hamlin, Driver.
Momentum Builds Ahead of Phoenix Championship Finale
With his place in the Championship 4 now set, Denny Hamlin carries not only the momentum from his landmark victory in Las Vegas, but also the confidence born from mastering a historically difficult track. Past data suggests that winning the opening Round of 8 race increases a driver’s title chances, providing Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing team additional optimism ahead of NASCAR’s highly anticipated season finale in Phoenix.
The Denny Hamlin Vegas victory highlights the significance of driver adaptability and teamwork in overcoming competitive adversity. For Hamlin, his performance at Las Vegas reaffirms both his elite status among Cup Series legends and his determination to claim the elusive championship that has escaped him for years. As the grand finale approaches, the No. 11 Toyota stands out as a formidable contender on NASCAR’s biggest stage.
