Hamlin's Vegas comeback
Denny Hamlin won the Pennzoil 400 in Las Vegas after leading 134 laps and rallying back from a penalty to take the checkered flag (x.com). The victory tied a mark referenced alongside Kevin Harvick and lifted Hamlin to fourth in the standings while Tyler Reddick remains out front with Bubba Wallace sitting second in points ( ).
The Pennzoil 400 ran 267 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 15, 2026, with a single caution and a scheduled Stage 1 and Stage 2 format. (lvms.com) Hamlin was assessed a pit‑road speeding penalty following the first stage — the infraction came at the Stage 1 break — forcing him to restart from the back before his recovery charge. (nascar.com) He rejoined the front late, led the final 49 laps and crossed the line just 0.502 seconds ahead of Chase Elliott for the margin of victory. (lvms.com) The result marked Hamlin’s 61st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, moving him into sole possession of 10th place on the sport’s all‑time wins list, ahead of Kevin Harvick. (nascar.com) It was Hamlin’s first win of the 2026 season, his third career win at Las Vegas and his second straight victory at the 1.5‑mile configuration. (nascar.com) The weekend bumped Hamlin up eight spots in the championship standings and left him 78 points shy of the regular‑season points lead, while Tyler Reddick still holds a 61‑point advantage over teammate Bubba Wallace after five races. (racingamerica.com) Toyota notched its fourth win in the first five Cup races of 2026, and last year’s Pennzoil 400 champion Josh Berry finished 31st after starting 32nd. (autoracingdaily.com, news3lv.com)
