Denny Hamlin Clinches Third Season Win at Dover, Ties With Lee Petty

Apr 28, 2024, 09:36 PM

Denny Hamlin secured a victory at the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, holding off a strong challenge from Kyle Larson. Throughout the race, Hamlin maintained his lead, with the gap fluctuating as Larson attempted to close in. With 100 laps to go, Hamlin led by 2.498 seconds, and the gap was down to 1.3 seconds with 30 laps remaining. In the final stages, Larson narrowed the gap to just over half a second, but Hamlin managed to retain his lead and win the race. This victory marks Hamlin's third win of the season and ties him with Lee Petty for 54 career wins at the Cup level. The race was also notable for the impact of lapped traffic in the closing laps, which added to the intensity of the competition. Larson finished second, followed by Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, and Chase Elliott rounding out the top five.