“You can either get on the bandwagon or get run over by it.”
After having to count every single point in the opening round of the Playoffs last year, Denny Hamlin is going to head to Bristol Motor Speedway (the first elimination race of the postseason), being able to breathe much easier, winning Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was able to park his No. 11 Progressive Insurance Toyota Camry XSE in Victory Lane on Sunday after leading a race-high 75 laps, with the strategy falling perfectly into the lap of the NASCAR Cup Series veteran.
Hamlin, now a five-time winner on the season, was able to make the pass for the victory on Brad Keselowski with 25 laps remaining, darting to the inside on the race’s final restart and setting sail ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and Southern 500 race-winner Chase Briscoe.
By the end of the 25-lap run, Hamlin had extended his advantage over second place to 1.620 seconds. The victory marks the 59th of Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup Series career at the 200th at NASCAR’s top-level for Toyota GAZOO Racing.
“It’s so big for everyone at Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The Progressive Toyota was great there at the end,” said Hamlin. “So happy to get this victory. My dad’s not feeling well at home. Just shout-out to him. The whole family’s here. Fantastic day. Man, couldn’t be better.”
The victory also ensures that two of the three playoff-eligible teams from Joe Gibbs Racing will find themselves in the ‘Round of 12’, with Christopher Bell the only driver from the stable yet to secure his spot in the next round.
RACE RESULTS: Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway
Just one week removed from a dominant victory in the Southern 500, Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, finished in the second position – his 12th top-five finish of the season.
“I would say our strength was our speed. We had a really good Bass Pro Shops Toyota. Our weakness was just the sloppiness, right? Whether it was me behind the wheel or pit road. Great recovery,” Briscoe said. “James [Small] did an amazing job of doing something different to get us up there, would have loved to battle up there and potentially try to beat everybody’s favorite driver for Toyota’s 200th win. I was at a tire deficit. I thought our car, for having the tire deficit and everything else, showed how good it was.”
Chase Elliott rebounded from a tough showing at Darlington to finish in third place, while Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano rounded out the top five. John Hunter Nemechek put together another fantastic run, finishing sixth for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.
Christopher Bell came home a respectable seventh, with Bubba Wallace earning a top-10 finish in eighth, after leading 73 laps – second most to eventual race-winner Denny Hamlin. Chris Buescher and Ty Gibbs, a pair of drivers not in the postseason, finished ninth and 10th.
Of the post-season eligible drivers finishing outside the top-10, William Byron was the best in 11th. Kyle Larson (12th), Tyler Reddick (16th), Austin Dillon (18th), Austin Cindric (19th), Ross Chastain (24th), Shane Van Gisbergen (25th), Alex Bowman (26th), and Josh Berry (36th) also failed to score a top-10.
Leaving Gateway and heading to the first elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Austin Cindric is currently sitting on the cutline. Austin Dillon (-11), Shane Van Gisbergen (-15), Alex Bowman (-35), and Josh Berry (-45).
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 13 at 7:30 pm ET on USA Network, Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
