{"id":50800,"date":"2025-04-06T22:32:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T03:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=50800"},"modified":"2025-04-07T09:50:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T14:50:17","slug":"lightning-fast-stop-at-darlington-nets-denny-hamlin-second-consecutive-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/06\/lightning-fast-stop-at-darlington-nets-denny-hamlin-second-consecutive-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Lightning-fast stop at Darlington nets Denny Hamlin second-consecutive victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, celebrates by spraying champagne in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

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By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

DARLINGTON, S.C. \u2013 A perfectly-executed overtime restart by Denny Hamlin following a clutch final pit stop by his Joe Gibbs Racing crew provided exactly the advantage the veteran needed to claim the trophy in Sunday\u2019s Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.<\/p>\n

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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Hamlin took the race lead out of the pits during the final late race caution then bested the field on the ensuing restart, pulling his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota out front and ultimately to a .597-second victory over the day\u2019s most dominant driver, Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 William Byron.<\/p>\n

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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s the second-consecutive victory for Hamlin, who won last week at Martinsville, Va. and marks the first time he\u2019s won back-to-back races since 2012 when he won at Bristol, Tenn. then Atlanta the following week.<\/p>\n

All smiles as he climbed out the car, Hamlin gave all the credit to his pit crew. He was third place at the time of the final caution \u2013 the yellow coming out for Byron\u2019s Hendrick teammate Kyle Larson\u2019s spin. The leaders seized the chance to pit for fresh tires in anticipation of the overtime restart and Hamlin\u2019s crew got him out of the pits first – ahead of 23XI Racing\u2019s Tyler Reddick and Byron.<\/p>\n

A perfect launch on the ensuing green flag gave Hamlin the victory over Byron, who led a race best 243 of the 297 laps. It is Hamlin\u2019s 56th career win, breaking a tie with NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for 11th place on NASCAR\u2019s all-time wins list.<\/p>\n

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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s two people I really love right now, my pit crew and Kyle Larson,\u2019\u2019 the 44-year-old Virginian Hamlin said with a grin. \u201cHad a little assist there, so thank you.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pit crew just did an amazing job. They won it last week [at Martinsville]. They won it this week. It\u2019s all about them.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

It was obviously a tough ending to a career day for Byron, who rallied to the runner-up finish on the final restart but had absolutely dominated the early race, leading the opening 243 laps and claiming both Stage 1 and Stage 2 victories. It was the most laps Byron has ever led in a single race.<\/p>\n

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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cFirst off, just really proud of my team to bring that level of effort and preparation and have a car like that and us execute like that, it was looking like we were going to have a perfect race and we were going to lead every lap,\u2019\u2019 the 2025 DAYTONA 500 winner Byron said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I was really proud of that. Those guys could just be aggressive on the other side of the green flag cycle and we just lost control and once we lost control it was too late to get back up there.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sucks and I\u2019m sure it will sting tonight, but there are still a lot of positives. It just stings in the moment for sure.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

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Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DEWALT Outdoors Toyota, William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 McDonald’s Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Hamlin\u2019s JGR teammate Christopher Bell finished third in the No. 20 Toyota after an amazing rally forward from a 20th place starting position. Reddick finished fourth in the 23XI Racing Toyota, co-owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan.<\/p>\n

Team Penske\u2019s Ryan Blaney finished fifth. It is the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion\u2019s first top-five at the 1.366-mile historic track, but the result still stings as Blaney had just taken the race lead moments before the final caution came out with only three laps of regulation remaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no,\u2019\u2019 Blaney conceded of his thoughts when the yellow flag flew.<\/p>\n

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William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI thought we had the race won. I don\u2019t really know I\u2019ll have to watch a replay and see how the yellow came out and watch it back. But we did a great job and great strategy call of running long.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat call and just really fast but never got to really control the race,\u2019\u2019 he added … I feel like nothing really went our way. Pit road we\u2019ve got to work on a little bit. Caution coming out during the cycle set us way back and I feel like we kept making up spots. Really proud of the 12 folks for giving me a fast car. Just wasn\u2019t meant to be. I really would have liked to have won here. That would have been really neat. Proud of the effort and we\u2019ll keep plugging along.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

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William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by James Gilbert\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing\u2019s Chris Buescher finished sixth, followed by Trackhouse Racing\u2019s Ross Chastain, Hendrick\u2019s Chase Elliott, JGR\u2019s Ty Gibbs and Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Kyle Busch. It was a season-best effort for Gibbs.<\/p>\n

Byron\u2019s runner-up showing keeps him in the NASCAR Cup Series championship lead now by 49 points over Hamlin and 52 points over Bell. It\u2019s a different look atop the standings, where all four Hendrick Motorsports cars were ranked among the top five.<\/p>\n

Hendrick\u2019s Chase Elliott finished eighth Sunday and is now fourth in the standings, 59 points back. Larson dropped to sixth place after finishing 37th of the 38 cars Sunday. Bowman is now ranked 10th with a 35th place showing at Darlington.<\/p>\n

The NASCAR Cup Series moves to the famed Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway high banks next weekend for Sunday\u2019s Food City 500 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Hamlin is the defending winner.<\/p>\n

Interviews:<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

NCS Racing Winner Owner, Joe Gibbs; and Driver, Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) –<\/p>\n

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Race Winning Crew Chief Chris Gayle (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChrisGayleDarlington.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

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NASCAR Cup Series Race – Goodyear 400<\/strong><\/p>\n

Darlington Raceway<\/strong><\/p>\n

Darlington, South Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday, April 6, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  1. (3)  Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  2. (1)  William Byron, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  3. (17)  Christopher Bell, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  4. (7)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  5. (9)  Ryan Blaney, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  6. (14)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  7. (25)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  8. (15)  Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  9. (11)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  10. (8)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  11. (6)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  12. (16)  Zane Smith, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  13. (18)  Joey Logano, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  14. (12)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  15. (30)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  16. (29)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  17. (34)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  18. (22)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  19. (26)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  20. (36)  Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  21. (5)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  22. (31)  Cole Custer, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  23. (23)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  24. (21)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  25. (28)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  26. (2)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  27. (35)  Cody Ware, Ford, 297.<\/p>\n

                  28. (4)  Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  29. (10)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 297.<\/p>\n

                  30. (27)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 297.<\/p>\n

                  31. (37)  Austin Hill(i), Chevrolet, 296.<\/p>\n

                  32. (13)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 296.<\/p>\n

                  33. (20)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 295.<\/p>\n

                  34. (32)  Riley Herbst #, Toyota, 295.<\/p>\n

                  35. (33)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 280.<\/p>\n

                  36. (24)  Josh Berry, Ford, Accident, 194.<\/p>\n

                  37. (19)  Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Suspension, 122.<\/p>\n

                  38. (38)  JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, Brakes, 30.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  120.965 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 21 Mins, 14 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .597 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  8 for 45 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  4 among 4 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   W. Byron 1-243;D. Hamlin 244-247;T. Reddick 248-289;R. Blaney 290-291;D. Hamlin 292-297.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  William Byron 1 time for 243 laps; Tyler Reddick 1 time for 42 laps; Denny Hamlin 2 times for 10 laps; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 2 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 24,23,60,17,45,6,12,2,38,16<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 24,22,11,12,21,20,54,10,45,48<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. \u2013 A perfectly-executed overtime restart by Denny Hamlin following a clutch final pit stop by his Joe Gibbs Racing crew provided exactly the advantage the veteran needed to claim the trophy in Sunday\u2019s Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Hamlin took the race lead out of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":50804,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[651,41,16],"class_list":["post-50800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-darlington-raceway","tag-denny-hamlin","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-2208892046-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-ddm","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50800"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50800\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50822,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50800\/revisions\/50822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}