Cup Series: Hamlin controls Gateway, locks into Round of 12 with victory

Written by Sean McKean

Credit: Sean Gardner / Getty Images for NASCAR

In a race characterised by comers-and-goers, Denny Hamlin cycled up to the front in time to take victory at Gateway. This came in a race that featured eight cautions. It was his fifth win of the season.

As it unfolded

From his second consecutive pole, Denny Hamlin led the field away, but only eight laps into the race, Kyle Larson took the lead away.

The first yellow flag came out on Lap 27, when Kyle Busch went for a spin off of Turn 2. He drove away without damage.

Whether to pit or not was a split decision, with only half of the playoff drivers pitting. Chris Buescher came out first followed by Zane Smith and Larson. Tyler Reddick had to stay in pit road for a little bit longer due to a loose wheel.

Hamlin led the field back to green on Lap 33, but Chase Briscoe made quick work of his teammate to lead his first laps of the day.

Only three laps later, though, playoff issues compounded for Josh Berry, who brought out the second caution. After receiving a tap from Chase Elliott, he slammed the Turn 1 wall on the right side of the car. The damage was terminal for Berry. 

Briscoe led them away with only four laps remaining in the stage, a position he held to the end. Larson and Hamlin.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

5. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

6. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

7. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

9. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

10. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

The drivers who stayed out last pit cycle came down pit road during the stage break. Briscoe won the race out followed by Hamlin and Christopher Bell.

Larson led the way over teammate William Byron on Lap 53.

The next yellow flew on Lap 61, when Chase Briscoe locked up into Turn 1 and sent Daniel Suarez into the wall. 

A number of drivers came into the pits, but notably Chase Briscoe suffered a slow stop to further compound his issues. 

Larson controlled the Lap 66 restart. 

Ten laps later, the fifth caution came out. This time, Ty Dillon went for a spin in Turn 1. He drove away with rear damage.

Many cars came down pit road. Of this bunch, Bell came out first followed by Elliott and Larson.

Bubba Wallace led the field back to the green flag on Lap 83.

The longest green flag run came to an end with six laps to go in the second stage. After battling with Kyle Larson for many laps, Ryan Blaney went for a spin after Larson dove in too deep in Turn 3. Although Blaney was angry, he drove away without damage.

The spin caused the ensuing pit cycle to disorganise, with Blaney not slotting into the spot race control said. Wallace came out of pit road first followed by Joey Logano and Hamlin. Brad Keselowski and Austin Dillon stayed out. 

A one-lap dash concluded the second stage. Wallace easily scythed by Keselowski to take the stage win followed by Keselowski and Logano.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

3. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

4. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

5. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

7. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

9. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

10. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

Wallace again led on Lap 147, but a piece of debris fell onto the track one lap later and brought the caution back out.

A few drivers came down pit road. Of this bunch, Keselowski came out first followed by Alex Bowman.

Lap 156 saw the next restart with Wallace in control, but a missed shift saw Hamlin and Logano start battling for the lead. In the midst of this chaos, Shane van Gisbergen went for a spin in Turn 3 to bring back out the caution. 

Many drivers chose to pit, including Wallace, Larson and Austin Cindric. Notably, Larson had to come back down pit road one lap later to close the diffuser flap.

Hamllin snuck away into the lead on the Lap 162 restart with Logano behind.

Chase Briscoe began the final pit cycle on Lap 196. Up front, Briscoe took the provisional lead over teammate Hamlin. However, with many drivers wanting to extend their fuel window and make it to the end, the pair couldn’t waste too much time battling for the lead.

Right in the midst of the pit cycle, the caution came out to change everything. This happened due to a brake rotor issue from Ty Dillon that sent him into the outside wall in Turn 1. 

Many drivers chose to stay out and attempt to make it to the end, but most others came in. Of this bunch, Shane van Gisbergen came out first followed by Austin Dillon and Bubba Wallace.

25 laps remained as Keselowski led them away, but he was quickly swallowed up by Briscoe and Hamlin – the latter of which taking the lead.

Hamlin held on to win at Gateway – his 59th career win.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

4. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

5. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

6. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

7. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

9. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

10. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

11. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

12. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

13. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

14. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports)

15. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

16. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

17. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

18. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

19. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

20. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports)

21. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

22. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)

23. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

24. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

25. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

26. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

27. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team)

28. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports)

29. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing)

30. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

31. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing) +1 lap

32. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

33. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

34. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) [DNF]

35. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) [DNF]

36. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing [DNF] [Playoffs]

After a race containing interesting names towards the front and surprising ones in the back, here is the updated playoff grid:

Provisional Playoff Grid

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe: [1 WIN; ADVANCED]

2. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin: [1 WIN; ADVANCED]

3. No. 5 - Kyle Larson: +60

4. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace: +50

5. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney: +42

6. No. 24 - William Byron: +39

7. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick: +37

8. No. 20 - Christopher Bell: +32

9. No. 9 - Chase Elliott: +28

10. No. 22 - Joey Logano: +21

11. No. 1 - Ross Chastain: +19

12. No. 2 - Austin Cindric: +11

PLAYOFF CUT-LINE

13. No. 3 - Austin Dillon: -11

14. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen: -15

15. No. 48 - Alex Bowman: -35

16. No. 21 - Josh Berry: -45