Denny Hamlin Takes Victory at Richmond Following Overtime Caution

Denny Hamlin secured his 53rd career victory at the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway, his fifth win on this particular track. The race, which was momentarily delayed due to rain and subsequently run with wet weather tires before switching to slicks, was pushed into overtime after a late spin by Kyle Larson caused by contact with Bubba Wallace. Hamlin, who took the lead after beating Martin Truex Jr. off pit road during the caution, held his position and won the race by a margin of 0.269 seconds.

Truex, who led for 228 of the 407 laps, finished second, expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome and the conduct of several drivers. Despite Truex's dominant performance in the second half, he was unable to reclaim the lead in the final laps, with Joey Logano also vying for the top spot but ultimately finishing third. This event marks Hamlin's second win of the season, and it positions Joe Gibbs Racing on par with Hendrick Motorsports, as both teams now have three victories each through the season's first seven races. Chris Buescher, celebrating his 300th career Cup start, finished in ninth place.