Denny Hamlin Moves to Three Victories in 2024 with Relatively Tame Dover Victory

A week ago, Denny Hamlin was able to celebrate a win as a team owner when Tyler Reddick won at Talladega Speedway; this week, he's back to winning as a driver. On Sunday, after 400 miles in unseasonably hot weather, Hamlin took the win at Dover International Speedway in the Wurth 400.

Through 10 races, Hamlin now holds the most wins with three; his first two came at two of the three short tracks, Richmond Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway. Both tracks are viewed as a home for the Mid-Atlantic-reared driver; just a few miles up the Eastern seaboard, it appears that Dover is no different. What was different is that this win came with less noise; at Richmond, a non-call on a jumped start started a week's worth of news, and at Bristol, tire degradation took central stage.

With this win, Denny Hamlin ties NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty for 12th on the all-time win list, a ladder that the veteran driver wants to continue to climb before hanging up his driver suit.

"It's fantastic," Hamlin said on the comparison, "But I couldn't hold Lee Petty's helmet."

Hamlin took the lead for the final time on a shortened restart, winning from the inside before his 23IX driver Bubba Wallace was hit by Zane Smith going into turn two to restack the restart.

"Kyle [Larson] had a great job executing on the green-flag pit cycle," Hamlin told Fox on the key moments of the race, "Then we were able to get the lead there on the restart with the caution to control the restart. That was the key moment for us."

Kyle Larson was able to keep pace with Hamlin after losing the lead and, in the closing five laps, had a few looks on a pass, but every time off a corner, Hamlin could block the clean air from Larson's nose and continue to keep the Hendrick driver at bay. He would settle for second but maintain his lead in the NASCAR championship standings.

Martin Truex Jr, who led in the middle of the race before being passed by Larson, finished third, even with damage to his nose sustained late in the race.

"You can't lose control of these races midstage like that," Truex told NASCAR on Fox, "the track changes, and you get behind it just stinks, but overall, a good day."

After starting on the pole, Kyle Busch slipped back and finished fourth. He started in eighth on the final restart and was able to battle up to fourth, but he wanted a podium.

While explaining that his car was good enough for third, the crew that beat him out for the final podium spot rolled the No. 19 behind him, to Busch's displeasure, bumping him as they did.

"Just run me over," Busch interrupted his answer to NASCAR on Fox after the bump, "That's cool."

NASCAR heads to Kansas Speedway next, where Hamlin won the Spring race in 2023. Go for Four, perhaps?

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