Denny Hamlin dominated on his path to a sixth career win at Martinsville Speedway in the Cook Out 400. Hamlin bested Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace for the race win. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin Turns Back Time in Dominating Martinsville Win

Originally posted on Racing America on SI
By Toby Christie | Last updated Mar 30, 2025 6:54 PM ET

Tick tock, Denny Hamlin took home his sixth career Martinsville clock after putting in one of the most dominating performances of his illustrious NASCAR Cup Series career in Sunday's Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin led a race-high 274 laps en route to his 55th career NASCAR Cup Series win, and as the race ran clean and green over the final 75 laps, the driver, who is one of the best at conserving his tires over a long run, pulled away to take a commanding victory.

RESULTS: Cook Out 400 at Martinsville

The win is Hamlin's first victory of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, and it snaps a 31-race winless drought, which spanned back to a victory at Dover Motor Speedway in April 2024. The victory margin for the driver of the No. 11 Progressive Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE was 4.617 seconds over his teammate Christopher Bell, who started on the pole and finished second.

The 274 laps led by Hamlin Sunday at Martinsville equates to the second-most laps Hamlin has ever led in a race win in his NASCAR Cup Series career. The only occasion where Hamlin has led more laps in a win than he did in the Cook Out 400 was in a 2009 victory at Richmond Raceway, where he led 299 laps. It was a true throwback performance for Hamlin in Sunday's race.

Bubba Wallace continued his recent wave of momentum with a third-place run, while Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson rounded out the top-five finishers in the race.

Note: This race recap will be updated with quotes from the race winner, and additional details as they become available.