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Denny Hamlin has now achieved 56 career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, but his latest victory at Darlington Raceway wasn’t as commanding as his triumph a week earlier at Martinsville. Driving a retro-themed car honoring Carl Edwards, Hamlin secured his fifth win at a venue often described as ‘too tough to tame’. His journey to victory was significantly influenced by strategic decisions made during pit stops.
A pivotal caution flag during the race allowed Hamlin to gain critical track position and propel himself into the top five. He maintained this competitive standing, ultimately moving from third to first thanks to an impressive performance by his pit crew during the final round of pit stops. Remarkably, while Hamlin only led for ten laps in total, he capitalized on a race where William Byron dominated, leading for over 240 laps.
“Right now, my gratitude goes to two main sources: my pit crew and Kyle Larson,” Hamlin quipped, referencing the circumstances that triggered the final caution. “The pit crew did an outstanding job once again. They were fantastic last week and delivered another incredible performance this week. I’m grateful to Sport Clips for their support here in Darlington, South Carolina. Looking forward to celebrating at Victory Lane,” he added with enthusiasm.
This win marks the first time since the 2012 season that Hamlin has claimed consecutive Cup victories. When questioned about attempting a backflip, a signature move of Edwards, he chuckled and said, “I’ll pass. If Carl is around, he’s more than welcome to take that leap off the car.” Edwards played a ceremonial role, waving the green flag to signal the start of the race.
Byron and Blaney Experience Disappointment After Strong Performances
In a surprising turn of events, Byron, who seemed invincible by leading the first 243 laps, faced a crucial shift in momentum during a sequence of green-flag pit stops that occurred midway through the final stage. Tyler Reddick, having pitted slightly earlier than many competitors, took advantage of fresh tires and pulled into the lead. Meanwhile, Byron found himself unable to pass Christopher Bell, and Ryan Blaney, who had also opted for a longer stint on the track, was quickly closing in on the front-runners.
Blaney eventually overtook Reddick, but shortly thereafter, the race took another unexpected twist. While battling with Reddick, the latter accidentally veered wide and crashed into the wall. This caused a chain reaction: Kyle Larson, having suffered difficulties earlier, was forced to react quickly and ended up spinning into Bubba Wallace, resulting in another caution as Larson crashed into the inside wall and set the stage for overtime.
As the race resumed, the focus shifted to pit road strategies. Unfortunately for Blaney, his crew continued to face challenges, causing him to drop from first to fourth place while Hamlin surged to the front. Hamlin lined up alongside Reddick, who was anxiously watching from the pits, before executing a strong restart that sealed his victory and left the remaining competitors to battle for lesser positions.
Following the dramatic conclusion, Byron was able to reclaim second place, with Bell taking third, Reddick finishing fourth, and Blaney rounding out the top five. The rest of the top ten included Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, and Kyle Busch.
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