NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – After three drivers entered Kansas tied with three victories apiece, one standout put his name atop the Heartland track’s all-time winners list. After a very patient late battle with Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin spun the 5 on the last lap trying to aggressively side draft. As a result, Denny Hamlin is a winner for the first time in 2023. Hamlin is now the only four-time Kansas conquerer.
The start was none too short on drama, as Kyle Larson was spun from the lead on lap five. The 5 was being chased by the 45 of Tyler Reddick. Reddick was too close to Larson’s bumper after the 5 got loose off of turn four, sending him around. With no damage though, Larson’s day was far from over.
As Stage 1 continued, it was very evident that Toyotas were the cars to beat. Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. were the two best at this point, with the first Stage going to the 11. All six Toyotas would end Stage 1 in the top seven.
Toyota dominance would remain constant, but a late Stage 2 caution would hand this win to Joey Logano. A rash of quick yellows defined this middle segment, with many drivers having single-car spins out of turn two.
Stage 3 saw Kyle Larson start out front, with the 5 going for a third win of 2023. Despite several restarts, the 5 could not be denied the top spot after a few laps. Even having to battle against teammate William Byron late, Larson still found the point again with 54 laps left.
As laps ticked by a new contender began to grow bigger in Larson’s mirror, Denny Hamlin. Over the closing laps, Hamlin was the faster car but couldn’t quite break out of Larson’s wake.
On the last lap, Larson washed up in turn two, hitting the wall and then spinning off of Hamlin’s nose. The 5 would recover to finish second, but far short of the win he had in his grasp.
While Larson’s winning chance went up in smoke, Hamlin earned his first victory since last May’s Coca-Cola 600.
“It’s the new NASCAR, it’s what everyone cheers about when someone else does it,” Hamlin said. “I was just trying to side draft him there and miscalculated. It was great for us to get back into position to get close to him and get him loose through (turn) one and two. I’ve got to thank FedEx, Toyota, TRD, Coca-Cola, Sport Clips, Interstate Batteries, Jordan Brand, Logitech and Shady Rays. I had such a fast car, just couldn’t get long enough runs for it to materialize. Finally, we had just enough time.”
“This is a team win. These team guys, this pit crew, stepped up in a huge way this week. I’m proud of them. It is a big win for Joe Gibbs Racing, for myself. Every win is very, very hard to get, so you have to take everyone you can get.”
Behind Hamlin and Larson, the Kansas top-10 finishers were: William Byron, Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Tyler Reddick, and Austin Dillon.
Hamlin is the ninth different winner through 12 races in 2023. The regular season will hit its halfway point next week, with seven Playoff spots still up for grabs.
Kansas marks career win number 49 for Hamlin, tying him with Tony Stewart for 15th-most Cup Series victories. 2023 is now the 17th different season where Hamlin has won. Kansas all but assures the 11 a record 17th Playoff appearance.
After the checkered flag drama continued on pit road. Noah Gragson walked over to Ross Chastain angry about earlier contact. Fisticuffs quickly began, with Chastain punching Gragson before the two drivers were separated.
Even with yet another driver mad at him, Chastain still persevered to finish fifth in Kansas. The 1 still has the overall points lead, now by 31 markers over Christopher Bell.
The next stop for the NASCAR Cup Series will be Darlington Raceway. The Goodyear 400 will go green Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Kansas winner Denny Hamlin calls the South Carolina venue his favorite track. The 11 should be favored for back-to-back triumphs.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Johnathan Bachman/Getty Images for NASCAR
