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🏁 Denny Delivers in Michigan!
Monday, June 09, 2025
Hamlin Wins Fuel-Gamble Thriller at MIS
Michigan International Speedway delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season during the FireKeepers Casino 400. With tire strategy, fuel windows, and late-race chaos all colliding in the closing laps, fans were treated to a thrilling showdown between William Byron and Denny Hamlin. After dominating large stretches of the race, Byron ran out of fuel with just over a lap to go—opening the door for Hamlin to capture not only the victory, but a milestone moment in NASCAR history. His 57th career win now places him at the top of Joe Gibbs Racing’s all-time win list, passing longtime teammate Kyle Busch. This was a race packed with drama, wrecks, red flags, and racing smarts—and it’s one that fans won’t soon forget.
🔥 Race Recap: FireKeepers Casino 400
Location: Michigan International Speedway
Track: 2-mile asphalt oval
Distance: 200 laps / 400 miles
Purse: $11,055,250
Fuel Window: 43-46 laps
Notable: 108th Cup race at Michigan (since 1969)
🟢 Stage 1 Highlights:
- Pole Winner: Chase Briscoe (3rd straight pole)
- Briscoe leads early before William Byron takes over on Lap 12.
- Green flag pit stops begin with Daniel Suarez on Lap 34.
- Chris Buescher charges late and wins Stage 1, followed by Byron, Hamlin, Briscoe, and Josh Berry.
🟡 Stage 2 Turns Wild:
- Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott exchange the lead.
- Lap 60 caution: Gragson and Nemechek spin.
- Multi-car crash on Lap 66: Custer, Bowman, Suarez, Briscoe all involved—brings out a red flag.
- Tyler Reddick leads after pit stops, but Larson and Allmendinger are hit with speeding penalties.
- Byron regains the lead and ultimately wins Stage 2, with Cindric 2nd and Hocevar 3rd.
🏁 Final Stage: Fuel, Flats, and Fight to the Finish
- Byron and Hocevar restart Stage 3 up front, but Todd Gilliland's crash on Lap 146 brings out caution.
- Zane Smith, on 2 tires, wins the race off pit road and leads briefly before Carson Hocevar takes the lead.
- Fuel becomes the story—Hocevar can't make it and pits with 19 laps to go due to a flat tire.
⛽ With 1.5 Laps to Go… Byron Runs Out
- William Byron inherits the lead, but his team warns he may be short on fuel.
- Denny Hamlin, told by crew chief he’s good to go, passes Gibbs (15 to go), Larson (14 to go), and gets to Byron’s bumper (12 to go).
- With 3 to go, Hamlin clears Byron for the lead.
- Byron runs out of gas with 1.5 laps remaining, ending his shot at the win.
🏆 Hamlin Makes History
- Denny Hamlin earns his 57th career NASCAR Cup Series win, 3rd of the season.
- With 57 wins, Hamlin passes Kyle Busch as the all-time winningest driver for Joe Gibbs Racing.With 57 wins, Hamlin passes Kyle Busch as the all-time winningest driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch, now with Richard Childress Racing, held the record at 56.
- This marks JGR’s first win at Michigan in over a decade.
🏁 Final Top 10 Finishers:
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Chris Buescher
3. Ty Gibbs
4. Bubba Wallace
5. Kyle Larson
6. Ross Chastain
7. Zane Smith
8. Kyle Busch
9. Ryan Preece
10. Brad Keselowski
🔜 Next Up:
🏁 Viva Mexico 250
📍 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez — Mexico City
📅 Next Sunday — Road course challenge awaits!
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