Denny Hamlin didn’t let adversity deter him from winning his 61st career NASCAR Cup Series race. After finishing third in stage one, the driver of the No. 11 committed a pit road speeding penalty, sending him to the rear of the field.
Yet, the 45-year-old rallied back and regained the lead with 82 circuits remaining. On the final restart of the race with 50 laps to go, Hamlin overtook Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell and kept the lead for good.
It didn’t come easy as the Virginia native had to fend off a hard-charging Chase Elliott. However, when the checkered flag flew, Hamlin was the victor in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas to secure his first win of 2026.
The win was Hamlin’s second straight at Las Vegas and the 61st in his Cup career. He now stands alone in 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.
Denny Hamlin reflects on emotional off-season following Las Vegas win
This past off-season was mired in tragedy for Denny Hamlin and his family.
On December 28, 2025, in Stanley, North Carolina, Hamlin’s father, Dennis, tragically lost his life following a house fire in their family home at 75 years old. Denny Hamlin’s mom, Mary, suffered significant injuries in the fire, but has since recovered.
After taking the checkered flag in Sunday’s race, Hamlin was met with an embrace from his mom and his daughters, Taylor and Molly, who all got to witness the emotional victory.
As he held back his emotions, Hamlin tried to put into words what it meant to win after everything he and his family have endured during his post-race interview with FS1.
“This is a family sport. My family, obviously, had so much sacrifice to help me get here. … It’s great mom gets to see this. I know dad is still saying, you know, ‘That’s my boy.’ Hell of a day.”
Denny Hamlin committed a speeding violation after stage one
Christopher Bell led the field to the green flag and, after battling for the lead with Hamlin, clinched the opening stage victory.
On the subsequent pit stops following stage one, Hamlin and JGR teammate Ty Gibbs were busted for speeding on pit road, forcing them to the back of the field.
William Byron worked his way to the front in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports machine to win stage two, with teammate Kyle Larson finishing second.
The race remained incident-free until lap 211 of 267 when Connor Zilisch spun out coming off turn four. When the race restarted, it was Bell and Hamlin at the front of the field.
After a two-lap, side-by-side battle, Hamlin cleared Bell and paced the field for the remainder of the race. Chase Elliott finished second, followed by William Byron in third, Christopher Bell in fourth, and Ty Gibbs rounded out the top five.
Tyler Reddick maintains points lead after Las Vegas
After five races, Tyler Reddick continues to be in command of the NASCAR Cup Series points standings.
The driver of the No. 45 has a 61-point advantage over Bubba Wallace, who sits in second. Third is Ryan Blaney (-67), fourth is Denny Hamlin (-78), and fifth is Chase Elliott (-87).
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Darlington Raceway next Sunday for the Goodyear 400. The race is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Eastern time and can be watched on FS1 or listened to on the Motor Racing Network.
Denny Hamlin Overcomes Penalty to Win NASCAR Cup Series Race at Las Vegas