Denny Hamlin secured his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2025 season at Michigan International Speedway, triumphing in the FireKeepers Casino 400. The win marked his 57th career Cup victory, making him the winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history and the 10th driver in NASCAR history to win after his 700th start .
Hamlin’s performance was a masterclass in fuel strategy. While many competitors, including race leader William Byron, ran out of fuel in the race’s final laps, Hamlin’s team executed a flawless strategy, allowing him to conserve enough fuel to finish the race without incident .
Off the track, Hamlin’s victory was overshadowed by personal anticipation. His fiancée, Jordan Fish, was six days past her due date with their third child, and Hamlin had made arrangements to leave the race if she went into labor. Fortunately for Hamlin, the timing worked out, and he was able to celebrate his victory without interruption .
In typical fashion, Hamlin embraced the role of NASCAR’s “villain” by taunting the Michigan crowd. He flashed the “O” sign, a nod to his support for Ohio State, and resurrected his signature line, “I beat your favorite driver,” eliciting a chorus of boos from the 60,000-strong crowd. Hamlin relished the reaction, stating, “I thrive on it just simply because you feel like you’ve got 60,000 people that are rooting against you. When you have that, it just feels really, really good and gratifying to prove them wrong. I love that feeling.”
This victory adds to Hamlin’s impressive career, which includes multiple Daytona 500 wins and a reputation for thriving under pressure. As he balances his racing career with his personal life and business ventures, including co-owning 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, Hamlin continues to be a formidable presence in NASCAR.
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