Denny Hamlin claimed his second NASCAR Cup All-Star Race title at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday night, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe by 0.887 seconds in the first running of the non-points exhibition on the Monster Mile.
The 44-year-old veteran banked the headline $1 million prize and put a stamp on what has been the strongest start to a Hamlin season in years, with Toyota's stable now visibly carrying the All-Star momentum into the regular-season run-in.
"It makes it a lot easier when you've got a car this fast," Hamlin said in victory lane. "We strive to be No. 1, and we did it today."
Briscoe, who had clattered the wall in practice and forced his crew into an overnight rebuild, recovered superbly to lead the chasing pack and complete the JGR one-two.
"It was obviously a really fast car," Briscoe said. "I'm just proud of our group. I knocked the wall down in practice, and we basically rebuilt the whole car."
Erik Jones rounded out the podium for Legacy Motor Club, with Austin Dillon and rookie sensation Connor Zilisch completing the top five.
The race nearly imploded inside the opening laps when contact between Ryan Preece and Todd Gilliland triggered a multi-car wreck that scooped up Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez, John Hunter Nemechek and Michael McDowell. Preece's Ford caught fire on impact, but the Stewart-Haas driver emerged unhurt.
"I'm fine, I seem to take big hits," Preece said. "I don't know what happened. But if it was anything, it was probably just too close on my part."
Chase Elliott, one of the title favourites scooped up in the chain reaction, was furious with himself afterwards.
"It was pretty wild. I hate to get caught up in that," Elliott said. "I knew better. I saw it getting crazy. I should have bailed."
Hamlin had been the dominant car all night even before the late dash, controlling restarts and managing tyre fall-off on the high-banked concrete that has long been considered a feel circuit. Once he cleared traffic following the final caution, the 53-time Cup winner never gave Briscoe a sniff at the lead.
The $1 million payday and a second All-Star trophy add fresh ballast to a season in which Hamlin has already taken multiple regular-season wins. With the playoff cut-off still months away, Sunday's victory shifts the narrative around the Joe Gibbs Racing camp from "strong contender" to genuine championship favourite ahead of the points-paying return at the Charlotte 600 next weekend.
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