Denny Hamlin Claims Second Straight Dover NASCAR Cup Victory/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Denny Hamlin powered through a rain delay and late-race overtime to win for the second consecutive year at Dover Motor Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver earned his fourth Cup Series win of the season. Despite legal battles off the track, Hamlin remains focused on victories over titles.
Hamlin Dover Win: Quick Looks
- Hamlin wins at Dover for the second straight year
- Claims season-best fourth victory of 2025 in No. 11 Toyota
- Withstands rain delay, overtime finish, and teammate challenge
- Total of 58 career Cup Series victories, two behind Harvick
- Court setback in 23XI Racing’s NASCAR lawsuit doesn’t derail focus
- Old tires after red flag hold up for win at Monster Mile
- Becomes 13th driver to win consecutive Dover races
- Joey Logano makes 600th career start, youngest to do so
Denny Hamlin Claims Second Straight Dover NASCAR Cup Victory
Deep Look
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Veteran NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin once again proved his staying power, navigating a rain-delayed and overtime race to secure his second consecutive victory at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday. It marked Hamlin’s fourth win of the 2025 season, further establishing him as a dominant force on the track—even as legal troubles swirl off it.
Driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, the 44-year-old Hamlin took the checkered flag after holding off teammate Chase Briscoe during the final laps. His win comes just days after a federal judge denied a key request in the 23XI Racing antitrust case against NASCAR—a lawsuit in which Hamlin is personally invested.
“I just love that I’m able to still do it at a high level,” Hamlin said. “When I wake up each morning, I just hope I still have what I had the day before.”
Staying Sharp Through Setbacks
Despite joking earlier in the week about fuzzy vision and aging knees, Hamlin displayed razor-sharp precision at Dover. He now has 58 career Cup Series wins, placing him just two shy of Kevin Harvick’s 60, which ranks 10th all-time. The Virginia native remains one of the sport’s most accomplished drivers yet to win a Cup championship.
That elusive title, however, is no longer Hamlin’s singular focus.
“I care about wins. I want more trophies, more trophies, more trophies,” he said. “When I’m done, I want to be among the top 10 all-time winners. That means more than anything else.”
Courtroom Turmoil Doesn’t Disrupt Victory Lane
Off the track, Hamlin has been embroiled in legal drama. On Thursday, a judge ruled against allowing 23XI Racing—co-owned by Hamlin—and Front Row Motorsports to continue racing with charters during their ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR. This puts several cars at risk of being downgraded to open entries.
Still, Hamlin remained composed and competitive, vowing that if the trial proceeds as scheduled for December 1, “all will be exposed.”
His teammates are feeling the impact too. Chase Briscoe, who nearly overtook Hamlin late in the race, said he held back slightly to ensure a Joe Gibbs Racing car claimed the win.
“I thought I had him for a second,” Briscoe said. “If the back of the Camry was just 3 inches shorter, I might have cleared him.”
Weather Delay and Tire Gamble Pay Off
Sunday’s race was interrupted by a 56-minute rain delay, with just 14 laps remaining. Drivers were already coping with stifling heat, as in-car temperatures soared to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. During the break, Hamlin changed out of his sweat-soaked firesuit but returned to the track with old tires—a risky move, but one that ultimately secured his win.
“We need wins,” said crew chief Chris Gayle. “We weren’t going to do the same thing as everyone else. Thankfully, it worked out.”
Hamlin becomes the 19th Cup Series driver to win three times at Dover, and the 13th to win back-to-back races on the 1-mile concrete oval.
Historical Inspirations and Tactical Growth
Hamlin credited former teammates and rivals like Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson for shaping his approach to the tricky Dover track. Johnson, a seven-time Cup champion, won a record 11 times at the “Monster Mile.”
“You learn from the greats and change your game to match it,” Hamlin said. “That’s how success like this happens.”
In-Season Challenge Heats Up
Looking ahead, the first NASCAR In-Season Challenge heads to Indianapolis, where Ty Gibbs will race Ty Dillon for a $1 million prize in a five-race, bracket-style tournament inspired by NCAA basketball formats. Both drivers are winless this season; Gibbs finished fifth at Dover to advance.
John Hunter Nemechek and Tyler Reddick were eliminated from the tournament at Dover.
Logano Hits Milestone in Quiet Fashion
Joey Logano finished 14th on Sunday, marking his 600th career Cup Series start. At just 35 years, 1 month, and 26 days old, Logano is the youngest driver ever to reach that milestone—beating Richard Petty’s record by six months. Petty is still the only driver to win his 600th start.
Logano has started every race since 2009, bringing his consecutive start streak to 597—putting him within range of Jeff Gordon’s all-time record of 797.
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