“It’s really special to me to win here at Dover,” Hamlin said. I haven’t performed well here in the first half of my career. It’s incredible to have returned here consecutively for the past two years.
Days after facing a legal setback in his own 23XI Racing team’s federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, Hamlin claimed the checkered flag.
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports’ request to continue racing with charters while they fight NASCAR in court was denied by a federal judge on Thursday. As a result, their six cars will compete as open entries this weekend at Dover, next week at Indianapolis, and possibly longer. The teams claim that this move would put them in danger of going out of business.
This weekend, Hamlin promised that if the case proceeds to its planned trial date of December 1, everything will be revealed.
Hamlin’s performance on the track has not been impacted by the legal drama. For the win, Hamlin managed to hold off Chase Briscoe, a teammate from JGR. The following two positions were occupied by Hendrick Motorsports drivers, Kyle Larson in fourth place and Alex Bowman in third.
Briscoe remarked, “I believed I had done everything I needed to.” For a moment, I thought I had him there. I would like the rear of the Camry to be about three inches shorter. I came so near to removing him. I simply couldn’t manage it. Naturally, I wanted to ensure that at least a JGR vehicle won when I was racing a teammate.
Last season, Hamlin earned the second of his three career Monster Mile victories by holding off Kyle Larson in the closing stages.
Drivers fought the conditions inside their cars during a very clean race that began with sweltering temperatures in the first July Cup race at Dover since 1969. However, rain came late and the race was red-flagged with 14 laps remaining. According to Hamlin, the temperature inside the car reached 140 degrees during the break when he intended to change his firesuit.
After the 56-minute wait, he also got back in the car with the old tires. According to BETMGM Sportsbook, Hamlin, the betting favorite, had enough to win on cool tires at Dover and park the Toyota in victory lane.
“We still have a lot to do,” Hamlin stated.
He became the 13th driver to win back-to-back races on the mile concrete track and the 19th Cup racer to win three times at Dover.
Hamlin remarked, “I just studied some of the greats here.” Having Martin Truex as a teammate was a huge blessing. Observing him win eleven times here, Jimmie Johnson. You achieve achievement like this when you take what the greats have taught you and adapt your style accordingly.
In-season challenge
In NASCAR, the Tys have it.
Next week in Indianapolis, Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon will square off to become the first winner of NASCAR’s $1 million mid-season tournament.
For the inaugural In-season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style competition that is modeled after the NCAA basketball tournaments, NASCAR seeded 32 drivers.
Dillon secured the No. 32 seed, while both drivers are without a victory. Gibbs finished fifth for JGR on Sunday.
Tyler Reddick and John Hunter Nemechek were removed.
Logano s 600th
In his 600th career start, Joey Logano finished 14th for Team Penske.
With 597 consecutive starts since 2009, Logano is now within striking distance of Jeff Gordon’s Cup record of 797 consecutive starts.
Logano became the youngest driver to reach the 600-mark on Sunday at the age of 35 years, 1 month, and 26 days. He was six months ahead of seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty.
The only driver to win his 600th start is Petty.
Up next
After a four-year hiatus from the road course, Kyle Larson is returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he won the oval last season.
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