Denny Hamlin clinched a dramatic win at Sunday’s EchoPark AutoTrader 400, held at Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware. Despite a 56-minute rain delay and multiple overtime restarts, Hamlin emerged as the winner, edging out his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe in an intense finish. The victory marks Hamlin’s second consecutive win at the Dover concrete-mile and his fourth NASCAR Cup Series triumph of the 2025 season.
Final Laps Feature Intense Duel Between Teammates
Hamlin executed perfectly during the final stages, taking the lead by getting a strong jump on the field in both overtime restarts. Briscoe, running on fresher tires, challenged fiercely in the closing laps. The two drivers raced side-by-side on the white flag lap, with their cars making close contact before Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry managed to pull ahead, securing the victory by just 0.310 seconds. This achievement places Hamlin among the select few who have won back-to-back races at Dover.
Teammates from Hendrick Motorsports, Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson, finished third and fourth, respectively, while another Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Ty Gibbs, rounded out the top five.
Elliott’s Strong Performance Falls Short Despite Leading Most Laps
For much of the race, Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott appeared poised to continue his summer surge, leading a race-high 238 of the 407 laps and claiming the first stage win of the season. Elliott overcame an early pit road error but ultimately could not overtake Hamlin. After Elliott pitted under caution with 60 laps remaining, Hamlin took the lead and maintained it until the rain-induced red flag came with 15 laps left in regulation.
Elliott’s sixth-place finish, coupled with teammate William Byron’s late-race accident, propelled Elliott into the lead of the points standings for the first time this season. He now holds a 17-point advantage over Byron with just five races remaining in the regular season.
Briscoe Reflects on Near Victory in Teammate Battle
Chase Briscoe expressed satisfaction with his performance despite falling short at the finish line, acknowledging the intense competition between teammates.
“I thought I did everything I needed to and thought I had it there for a second. I was so close to clearing him and just couldn’t do it. Obviously racing a teammate, I wanted to make sure at least a JGR car won. Honestly it was a great day. We weren’t probably a second place race car, we were probably fifth to 10th place car. Glad we were able to make a good finish out of it.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Top Ten Finishers and Playoff Points Standings Update
Beyond Elliott’s sixth place, the top ten was rounded out by Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and Brad Keselowski. The battle for the final playoff spot remains tight, with Wallace holding a 16-point lead over Ryan Preece for 16th place. Kyle Busch, finishing 11th, now trails Wallace by 39 points, keeping the chase for postseason qualification competitive.
In-Season Challenge Results Set Stage for Indianapolis Title Round
The Dover race also concluded the In-Season Challenge championship round, determining the finalists who will contend for a $1 million prize at next week’s event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon advanced to the grand finale after winning intense bracket battles during the event.
Gibbs overcame Tyler Reddick in the closing laps, while Dillon benefited from a late “lucky dog” pass to edge out John Hunter Nemechek. Both drivers remained close to their opponents throughout the extended race.
“Super cool today, I really appreciate my team.”
—Ty Gibbs, Driver
“All respect to John Hunter we ran next to each other all day. Just so grateful to have this opportunity and this is one of the greatest things to happen in my career.”
—Ty Dillon, Driver
Next Race Set for Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to one of its most prestigious venues, the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for next Sunday’s Brickyard 400. The race is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT and HBO Max, with radio coverage from PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Kyle Larson enters as the defending winner at the Brickyard event.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How did Denny Hamlin get so rich?
A. Denny Hamlin started racing full-time in the Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2006. He has become legendary with 51 Cup Series wins.
Hamlin also achieved three Daytona 500 victories in 2016, 2019, and 2020. Throughout his career, he has earned millions of dollars.
Q. Did Denny Hamlin and Jordan Fish get married?
A. Denny Hamlin is engaged to Jordan Fish. As a child, she loved dancing and later performed for the NBA team, the Charlotte Bobcats. The team is now called the Charlotte Hornets. She first met Hamlin during one of her performances at a Bobcats game.
Q. How did Denny Hamlin get rich?
A. Denny Hamlin’s net worth is about $65 million due to his successful racing career, profitable endorsements, team ownership, and wise real estate choices. He makes smart decisions both while racing and managing his team, ensuring success on and off the track.
Q. How is Denny Hamlin so rich?
A. Denny Hamlin’s $65 million net worth is mainly due to more than $100 million earned from NASCAR deals and race wins. He also benefits from lucrative endorsements with big brands like FedEx, Jordan Brand, and Toyota. Additionally, he co-owns 23XI Racing, a team worth over $100 million today.