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Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin hit back at the booing crowds at the World Wide Technology Raceway after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300.
The 44-year-old driver won the race after starting from pole position and was closely followed by Chase Briscoe and Chase Elliott in second and third, respectively. The victory for Hamlin puts him at the top of the playoff standings and sees him progress through to the Round of 12.
“Yeah, it’s so big for everyone at Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing. The Toyota was just great there at the end,” the 23XI Racing co-owner explained after the race.
“And so happy to get this victory and my dad’s not feeling well at home. So just shoutout to him, the whole family’s here, so fantastic day and it couldn’t be better. … Just step up.
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“I mean, all I can do is just keep being a student of the game, keep trying to get better, and every week is a chance to get a little better. I just told [Bill Murray] him to talk to the guys behind me and make sure they stay behind me the rest of the race.
“So we made that happen. Man, it’s just a great victory. Love that Denny Time flag. You all can boo me, but you can either get on the bandwagon, or you can get run over by it.”
Hamlin’s Illinois win marks Toyota’s 200th victory in the Cup Series.
“It’s a testament to what’s gone in over the last 19 years,” Tyler Gibbs, president of Toyota Racing Development, said. “The team we have at TRD, the team we have at TMNA (Toyota Motor North America), the team we have on the track. When you look at JGR, 23XI, Furniture Row, Red Bull and Michael Waltrip Racing combining for over 200 wins is just incredible for us.”
Over his extensive NASCAR Cup Series career, which began with his debut in the 2005 Banquet 400 at Kansas, Hamlin has scored 59 wins, 373 top-10 finishes, and 45 pole positions, but a championship victory has always eluded him. He came close in 2010 when he finished second behind seven-time Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson.
The final race in the Round of 16 is set for Saturday 13 September at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee at 7.30pm ET. Fans will be able to follow the 500 lap race, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, on USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and HBO Max.
2025 NASCAR Cup Series: Current playoff standings
| Rank | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | Win |
| 2 | Chase Briscoe | Win |
| 3 | Kyle Larson | +60 |
| 4 | Bubba Wallace | +50 |
| 5 | Ryan Blaney | +42 |
| 6 | William Byron | +39 |
| 7 | Tyler Reddick | +37 |
| 8 | Christopher Bell | +32 |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | +28 |
| 10 | Joey Logano | +21 |
| 11 | Ross Chastain | +19 |
| 12 | Austin Cindric | +11 |
| CUTOFF LINE | CUTOFF LINE | CUTOFF LINE |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | -11 |
| 14 | Shane Van Gisbergen | -15 |
| 15 | Alex Bowman | -35 |
| 16 | Josh Berry | -45 |
