Denny Hamlin makes NASCAR history with third straight Cup victory at Pocono
Denny Hamlin continued one of the hottest streaks of his storied NASCAR career Sunday, charging to victory at Pocono Raceway for his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win and his record-extending eighth triumph at the “Tricky Triangle.”
The 45-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver capitalized late after teammate Christopher Bell, who had gambled on fuel strategy, ran out of gas in the closing laps of the Great American Getaway 400. Hamlin surged into the lead and held off Tyler Reddick by 1.678 seconds to secure his fourth points-paying victory of the 2026 season.
The win was especially significant for Hamlin, as it marked the first time in his 20-year Cup career that he has strung together three straight victories. The streak includes wins at Nashville, Michigan, and now Pocono, a track where he earned his first career Cup victory nearly 20 years ago in June 2006.
Sunday’s triumph was also the 64th of Hamlin’s career, moving him past the late Kyle Busch into sole possession of ninth place on NASCAR’s all-time wins list. Despite his recent dominance, Hamlin reiterated that he still plans to retire following the 2027 season, when his current contract with Joe Gibbs Racing expires.
Starting from the pole, Hamlin led early, won Stage 1, and worked his way back through the field after varying pit strategies shuffled the order. Crew chief Chris Gayle’s strategy and a series of timely restarts allowed Hamlin to climb from sixth to first during the final stage before Bell’s fuel gamble unraveled.
Reddick, who drives for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, finished second and maintained a narrow 19-point lead over Hamlin in the championship standings. William Byron crossed the line third, followed by John Hunter Nemechek, who led a career-high 42 laps, and Kyle Larson in fifth.
The NASCAR Cup Series now heads west for a historic first: an inaugural street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, marking the sport’s first event ever held on an active U.S. military base.
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(Sources: ESPN, Motorsport, NASCAR, Pocono Record)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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