TC Daily Pit Stop: Denny Hamlin Scores Emotional 60th NASCAR Cup Win at Las Vegas; Blaney, Byron Suffer Early Exit

TC Daily Pit Stop: Monday, October 13, 2025

Oct 13, 2025

Denny Hamlin’s long pursuit of a NASCAR Cup Series title took a powerful emotional turn Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With his win in the South Point 400, Hamlin not only secured a spot in the Championship 4, but also notched his 60th career victory, tying Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time wins list.

The moment was made even more poignant by the declining health of Hamlin’s father, Dennis, a lifelong supporter of his racing career.

While Hamlin started on the pole, he wasn’t the dominant car for most of the day. That designation belonged to Kyle Larson, who led a race-high 129 laps. But a final green-flag run with 14 laps to go saw Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota come alive, thanks to late-race adjustments from crew chief Chris Gayle.

Hamlin charged past both Larson and two-tire gambler Chase Briscoe with four laps remaining to seal the emotional victory. Larson settled for second, with Christopher Bell, Briscoe, and Tyler Reddick rounding out the top five.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Grid

The Playoff picture shifted significantly after Las Vegas. Hamlin is the only driver locked into the Championship 4, while Larson, Bell, and Briscoe hold tentative spots above the cutline. Meanwhile, title contenders William Byron and Ryan Blaney suffered DNFs due to crashes, and Chase Elliott struggled to an 18th-place finish after a pit road penalty. With Talladega looming next, Byron (-15), Elliott (-23), Logano (-24), and Blaney (-31) all face must-perform scenarios to keep their title hopes alive.

Ryan Blaney Exits Race on Lap 72 After Cut Tire Leads to Major Wall Impact

Ryan Blaney pounded the outside wall after a cut tire on Lap 72 of the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Ryan Blaney found trouble when he cut a left front tire on Lap 72 of Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas. He would pound the outside wall in Turn 4, which ended his day and resulted in a last-place finish. Blaney said he had no indication a tire problem was about to occur.

“No, I didn’t have any thoughts that it was gonna blow. As soon as I lifted into three it blew out.”

William Byron ‘Devastated’ After Scary Crash Ends Solid Vegas Run

William Byron looked poised for a statement win or at least a runner-up finish in the South Point 400 at Las Vegas, as he led the race late. But with just under 40 laps to go, things unraveled. After briefly losing the lead to Kyle Larson following a loose moment in Turn 2, Byron tried to mount a comeback, only to collide with lapped car Ty Dillon, who was slowing to pit.

The sudden crash ended Byron’s day with a 36th-place finish and dropped him from 22 points above the Playoff cutline to 15 points below it.

Byron, visibly devastated after the incident, called the outcome “unbelievable” and “random,” as his once-promising run turned into a costly DNF.