Sunday’s Cup Series race at Michigan was a game of fuel management. In the final stage, drivers were desperate to stretch their fuel through to the checkered flag and it was Denny Hamlin who managed to do it best. Ross Chastain, who finished in sixth place, was completely in awe of what Hamlin’s team had managed to pull off.
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He told the press after the race, “I think we finished about where we should have. When (Denny Hamlin) passed me on that last run, I was like, I don’t have that, so hats off to those guys. They’ve been impressive. We just haven’t been quite that good to drive up and pass those guys, but it was a solid sixth-place finish for the No. 1 Chevrolet team.”
With the final laps ticking away, Hamlin chased down the leaders, who were struggling to defend their positions while saving fuel. A flat tire for Carson Hocevar allowed William Byron to assume the lead late in the race. Just when it seemed like the Hendrick Motorsports driver might end up in Victory Lane, his car ran out of fuel with a lap and a half remaining.
This allowed Hamlin to take the lead and secure his third victory of the season. It was also the 57th win of his career. Hamlin’s teammate, Ty Gibbs, finished in third place followed by Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson. The race was action-packed, with plenty of passing throughout.
Hamlin is grateful to his team for the performance in Michigan
It wasn’t just Chastain who lauded Hamlin for the way he handled his fuel in the final stage. Byron was equally in awe of what the No. 11 team pulled off. Meanwhile, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran credited the superior performance to his team. He said, “It’s fantastic. (Crew chief) Chris Gayle, this whole team has just done a great job.
“We’ve been so fast throughout the entire year, just haven’t finished it for one reason or another. Feels good to come here to Michigan where we’ve been so close over the years.
“This is such a gratifying day to restart 11th or something like that and drive through the field. I knew I was going to have to go 100 percent to get around everybody. Just worked them one by one.”
The next challenge for Hamlin and the others will be in Mexico City next Sunday. Fans will be keen to see who emerges victorious in NASCAR’s first points-paying international race in the 21st century.
