Sunday's performance at Martinsville was a return to vintage form for Denny Hamlin . The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran won Stage 2 and led 274 of the 400 laps to win the Cook Out 400 in dominating fashion. It is Hamlin's 55th career NASCAR Cup Series win, which ties him with Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for 11th all-time.
Sunday's win was the Virginia native's sixth at the half-mile short track, but his first triumph there since 2015 and his first Cup Series win since Dover last April. He's a short-track racer at heart! @dennyhamlin wins for the sixth time at @MartinsvilleSwy . pic.
twitter.com/bNphnsiM44 "(Crew chief) Chris Gayle, all the engineers, the pit crew, everybody really on that wall right there just decided that they were going to come here with a different approach than what we've been over the last few years and it was just amazing," Hamlin told Fox Sports. "The car was great.
It did everything I needed it to do. Just so happy to win with Chris and get 55 (wins). It's awesome.
" 11 against the world. @dennyhamlin talks with @JamieLittleTV after his Martinsville win. pic.
twitter.com/n5hdskSqSd Pole sitter, and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Christopher Bell was second, with Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson rounding out the top five. Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece, Joey Logano, Chase Briscoe and Todd Gilliland completed the top 10.
A year removed from Hendrick Motorsports finishing 1-2-3 with Byron, Larson and Elliott in last year's spring race, Hamlin, Bell and Wallac.
