NASCAR Today: Denny Hamlin Seals Toyota Milestone

The second race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup playoffs at WWT Raceway (Gateway) delivered no shortage of action, with varying strategies, tire degradation, and multiple cautions shaping the outcome.



Joe Gibbs Racing once again dominated, with Denny Hamlin capturing his fifth win of the season ahead of teammate Chase Briscoe. The result also marked Toyota’s 200th Cup Series victory, a significant milestone for the manufacturer.



Hamlin embraced the moment with a bold new slogan. “You can either get on the bandwagon or get run over by it,” he said after the win, drawing boos from the crowd but underlining his current form.



Winners and Losers from Gateway



Hamlin’s victory guarantees him a place in the Round of 12 and cements his status as the championship favorite, despite ongoing off-track legal challenges.



On the other hand, Josh Berry’s playoff hopes are fading fast. After crashing out in the Southern 500, Berry was collected in another incident at Gateway before the end of Stage 1, leaving him with just three points across two races. Without a win at Bristol, his postseason run is all but over.



Joey Logano, by contrast, surged from below the elimination line to safety. Starting three points down, he leaves Gateway with a 21-point cushion after a composed drive. His experience as a three-time champion has again proven invaluable.



Internal Pressures and Rising Spoilers



While Hamlin and Briscoe have delivered back-to-back playoff victories for JGR, Christopher Bell has struggled to replicate his early-season dominance.



Although comfortably placed on points, Bell’s frustration was evident in post-race comments criticizing under-performance despite having race-winning cars.



Outside the playoff picture, Legacy Motor Club continues to disrupt the field. John-Hunter Nemechek finished sixth at Gateway, once again proving that the team is edging closer to securing its first win of the year.



Rivalries Heat Up Ahead of Bristol



Kyle Larson may have left Gateway with more to worry about than his finishing position. A late-race clash with Ryan Blaney left tensions simmering, with Blaney warning he would not forget the incident.



As the series heads into the chaotic night race at Bristol, playoff contenders face heightened pressure. With eliminations looming, rivalries, mistakes, and bold strategies could define who advances and who falls short.
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