Denny Hamlin’s continued one of the hottest stretches of his NASCAR Cup Series career Sunday, holding off the field at Pocono Raceway to capture the Great American Getaway 400 and secure his third consecutive victory of the 2026 season and fourth win of the year.
The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran followed up wins at Michigan International Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway with another statement performance at the “Tricky Triangle.” Hamlin led the field to the green flag from the pole position and remained a factor throughout the afternoon before sealing the victory in the closing laps.
The win further tightened the battle atop the regular-season standings. Hamlin entered the day chasing Tyler Reddick and left Pocono just 19 points behind the No. 45 driver with several races still remaining before the postseason begins.
Top-10 Finishers at Pocono
- Denny Hamlin
- Tyler Reddick
- William Byron
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Kyle Larson
- Erik Jones
- Chris Buescher
- Ross Chastain
- Ty Gibbs
- Ryan Blaney
Christopher Bell’s Day Ends in Heartbreak
For much of the afternoon, it appeared Christopher Bell might spoil Hamlin’s bid for a third straight victory.
The No. 20 Toyota spent significant time near the front and looked poised to challenge for the win despite Bell continuing to compete with a broken wrist sustained during last weekend’s violent crash at Michigan.
Instead, Bell’s strong run ended in frustration.
With the finish line in sight, Bell was forced to pit for fuel on the final lap, immediately ending his chances of contending for the victory. The late stop dropped him to a 26th-place finish after one of the strongest performances of the day.
The result was especially painful considering Bell entered the final stage looking like one of the fastest cars in the field.
Hamlin Dominates Early
Hamlin’s day began with a Stage 1 victory.
The No. 11 Toyota led the opening segment and finished ahead of Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe and Chris Buescher.
Stage 1 Top 10:
- Denny Hamlin
- Kyle Larson
- Ty Gibbs
- Chase Briscoe
- Chris Buescher
- Daniel Suarez
- William Byron
- Erik Jones
- Joey Logano
- Austin Hill
The race’s second caution came on Lap 41 when Zane Smith spun while racing side-by-side with Hamlin. Smith managed to avoid direct contact with the No. 11 and did an impressive job saving the situation from becoming a larger incident.
Todd Gilliland Scores Career First
One of the biggest moments of the afternoon belonged to Todd Gilliland.
The Front Row Motorsports driver captured the first stage victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career by winning Stage 2.
Stage 2 Top 10:
- Todd Gilliland
- Chase Briscoe
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Erik Jones
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Ross Chastain
- Carson Hocevar
- Daniel Suarez
- Denny Hamlin
- Chase Elliott
The stage win marked a milestone achievement for Gilliland and provided one of the feel-good moments of the race.
Standings Battle Tightens After Pocono
The race also produced significant movement in the regular-season standings.
According to the post-race standings shown on the FOX Sports broadcast, Tyler Reddick remains the points leader with 704 points, while Hamlin closed the gap to just 19 points.
Ryan Blaney sits third, followed by Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs.
Further down the standings, Brad Keselowski’s difficult afternoon leaves him outside the provisional playoff cutoff in 17th, while Joey Logano remains in 18th after also being swept up in Sunday’s early multi-car crash.
With Hamlin carrying momentum and Bell showing race-winning speed despite the disappointing finish, Joe Gibbs Racing leaves Pocono looking stronger than ever as the 2026 season moves deeper into the summer months.
Denny Hamlin Wins Third Straight NASCAR Cup Race With Pocono Victory