Photo credit: www.motorsport.com
Denny Hamlin showcased an impressive performance at Martinsville, dominating the race by leading 274 of the 400 laps in his No. 11 Toyota from Joe Gibbs Racing. This victory marks Hamlin’s first in the 2025 season and the 55th of his career, placing him alongside Rusty Wallace at 11th in the all-time wins ranking. Additionally, this win represents his inaugural triumph with new crew chief Chris Gayle and under the banner of fresh sponsor Progressive.
“Chris Gayle [crew chief], all the engineers, and the pit crew made a collective decision to take a new approach this weekend compared to previous years. It was simply outstanding,” Hamlin remarked after clinching his sixth win at Martinsville. “The car performed excellently, fulfilling all my expectations. I’m just thrilled to celebrate this victory with Chris and reach 55 wins.”
During the post-race festivities, Hamlin raised a special flag atop his car displaying the slogan: ’11 against the world.’
The run to the checkered flag
While Hamlin distanced himself from the competition, the Cup race concluded far more smoothly than the chaotic NASCAR Xfinity race that preceded it. Nonetheless, a series of restarts demanded Hamlin’s focus as he battled against teammate Christopher Bell and co-owner Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 car.
The incident-laden race commenced shortly after green-flag pit stops, with Shane van Gisbergen losing a wheel, which left defending race champion William Byron one lap down. Tension escalated when Tyler Reddick spun out Ty Gibbs, sparking a heated exchange between the drivers both on the radio and post-race. Later incidents involved Chris Buescher and Noah Gragson, culminating in various displays of dissatisfaction during caution laps. The race’s final caution arose with 83 laps remaining when Chase Briscoe lost control after hitting the inside curbing, resulting in Joey Logano spinning out. Overall, there were ten cautions throughout the race, but none occurred in the last 75 laps.
From that moment on, the race proceeded uninterrupted, with Hamlin extending his lead. Bell, who started from pole position, finished second, followed closely by Wallace, ensuring a clean sweep with a Toyota 1-2-3 finish.
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
“At the end of the race, I was really struggling,” commented Bell. “I fell behind Denny significantly. Qualifying well was undoubtedly crucial for our performance this weekend. I hope we can come back smarter in the fall to replicate today’s success.”
“I want to express my gratitude to my pit crew for their stellar performance. The car was phenomenal in qualifying and secured us the top pit stall, an important factor in our success today. We executed the details precisely, which allowed us to finish second.”
The top five was rounded out by the Hendrick Motorsports team’s Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. The remainder of the top ten included Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece, Logano, Briscoe, and Todd Gilliland. Notably, only one car, the No. 2 Team Penske Ford of Austin Cindric, failed to finish due to persistent battery issues experienced throughout the race.
Photos from Martinsville – Race
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