Denny Hamlin delivered one of the most dominant performances of his NASCAR Cup Series career at the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday.
Leading for an impressive 274 of the race’s 400 laps, Hamlin secured his sixth Martinsville victory and first win of the 2025 season. His commanding performance included winning both stages and masterfully managing his tires during the crucial 75-lap, green-flag run that closed the race.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver crossed the line with a commanding 4.617 second advantage over teammate Christopher Bell, breaking a 31-race drought that went back to April 2024 at Dover Motor Speedway. The win was Hamlin’s 55th Cup Series career victory, solidifying his status as one of NASCAR’s best short-track drivers.
Elliott Breaks Down What Made Denny Hamlin So Fast
Chase Elliott, who finished fourth in the race offered some straight talk about why nobody could catch Hamlin on Sunday.
“He was really good, you know, on the long run. And you know, when you have control like that, it makes a big difference in how you can control your run. Having that clean air and not having that one guy just one guy in front of you makes a huge difference.”
Elliott’s analysis highlights the crucial role of track position and clean air at Martinsville, where passing opportunities are notoriously limited due to the track’s tight turns and narrow straightaways. By leading much of the race, Hamlin avoided the traffic that typically challenges drivers further back in the field.
Elliott Impresses Despite Fourth Place
The Hendrick Motorsports driver had a solid run himself staying competitive throughout much of the race. Elliott even challenged Hamlin briefly during Stage 2 before lapped traffic slowed his momentum. Despite not making it to Victory Lane, his fourth place finish showed promise in what has been an up-and-down season so far for Elliott.
Elliott was honest about his own day too: “Yeah, came up short. Didn’t get the job done. We’ll try again next week.”
Hamlin gave credit to his crew after the race: “Chris Gayle (crew chief), all the engineers, the pit crew—everybody really decided they were going to come here with a different approach than what we’ve been over the last few years. It was just amazing.”
The Hamlin-Elliott storyline has been one of NASCAR’s best over the years, going back to their famous clash at this track in 2017. Sunday’s race showed that Hamlin still has plenty left in the tank while Elliott continues to show why he’s one of the smartest drivers on the circuit.
NASCAR fans are already wondering if Elliott can bounce back next weekend or if Hamlin’s found something that might lead to more trips to Victory Lane this season.
