Shut Up and Drive…. To the Finish Line
Shut up and drive is what most people are thinking when trying to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover. Lucky for Denny Hamlin, talked the talk and walked the walk by being the winner of the race on Sunday, April 28th, 2024. That makes three wins in 2024 he held off the great Kyle Larson. How did he do it, folks? Well… let's dive in a bit more.
It all came down to lap 329! Remember that number everyone. 329! That’s the lap that Denny Hamlin took the lead with 71 more laps to go. Hamlin was in the lead cruising like Jackson Storm from the movie Cars 3, that is until Cruz Ramirez started to gain on him. The Cruz Ramirez in this story was none other than Kyle Larson. Larson was on Hamlin’s tail in the last 15 laps of the race. And got so close to him by moving him up towards the wall corners of the concrete oval. Larson was so close behind Hamilton that he got within a half-second of Hamlin as the checkered flag approached him, but unlike Jackson Storm, Hamilton kept Larson at bay by using a trick up his sleeve. Hamlin moved his car from the bottom of the groove to speed ahead of Lason to win the race.
Hamlin’s NASCAR Cup Series win marks the 54th win of his career which also ties him for 12th on the all-time Cup Series win with Lee Petty! The older Petty, Lee Petty is the father of the seven-time champion Richard Petty. Since Hamlin’s most recent victory throughout his 11 races, he is now tied for the most in the Cup Series with Wiliam Bryon, who was the winner of the Daytona 500. I don’t mean to brag here, but if you're tied with the greatest racers of all time, you are someone to watch as the NASCAR season continues. When asked about how he felt about the win Hamlin stated he could feel the spirit of Lee Petty in him, and that he was thrilled for this opportunity. (Hopefully not the possessive kind) Hamlin has now established himself as a Cup Series driver despite his lack of a Cup Series Title. Between you and me, I am pretty sure he is on his way to get on real soon here! Fingers Crossed. Until then, Hamlin gives the real meaning of Shut up and drive. A lot of people like to talk about what they are going to do, Hamlin is the kind of person who leaves it all on the track and shows us what he can do!
