Denny Hamlin is officially moving on. The Joe Gibbs Racing star stormed to victory in the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 7, locking himself into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Hamlin led 75 laps and pulled away late, building a 1.6-second cushion over teammate Chase Briscoe, who had already secured his own playoff spot with a win last week. The victory was Hamlin’s fifth of the season, breaking a tie with Shane van Gisbergen for the most Cup Series wins this year.
“Getting that automatic ticket into the next round is huge,” Hamlin said post-race. “This team has been locked in, and we’re hitting our stride when it matters most.”
Elliott Rounds Out the Podium
Chase Elliott kept himself in contention, finishing third, while defending champion Ryan Blaney crossed the line fourth. Joey Logano rounded out the top five after a consistent run.
Top 10 Results – NASCAR Cup Series, Gateway
- Denny Hamlin (No. 11)
- Chase Briscoe (No. 19)
- Chase Elliott (No. 9)
- Ryan Blaney (No. 12)
- Joey Logano (No. 22)
- John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42)
- Christopher Bell (No. 20)
- Bubba Wallace (No. 23)
- Chris Buescher (No. 17)
- Ty Gibbs (No. 54)
What’s Next
With Hamlin and Briscoe already secured for the next round, the pressure is mounting for the rest of the field. As the playoff cut looms, every lap in the coming weeks will be critical for drivers fighting to stay alive in the championship hunt.
