Denny Hamlin held off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe in a dramatic double overtime to win Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 NASCAR Cup race at Dover Motor Speedway.
The race proved to be a testament to both driver acumen and team preparedness, as ever-changing weather and a barrage of overtime restarts demanded adaptability, quick decision-making, and tireless focus from every contender.
The build-up to the race was intense with the starting lineup determined by NASCAR’s rulebook metrics after rain washed out practice and qualifying earlier in the weekend.
Right from the start, the 400-lap race around Dover’s one-mile concrete oval immediately settled into a high-tempo rhythm with Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota jumping into the lead.
However, Chase Elliott later reclaimed the lead and began a dominant run that would ultimately see him lead a remarkable 238 laps.
Stage 1 unfolded largely under green with Elliott leading the majority and collecting the stage win over Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, while William Byron and Alex Bowman completed the top five.
Early cautions were minimal and the action seemed destined to play out in strategic cycles with tire wear and fuel management defining which teams could gain ground during each green flag pit sequence.
Throughout Stage 2, the tempo shifted as different contenders cycled into the lead but Christopher Bell ultimately took control and won the stage. Alex Bowman closely followed in second, while Hamlin, Elliott, and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.
It was at this time that Ty Gibbs and Briscoe began maneuvering themselves into contention, picking their way through the field as the green flag laps accumulated.
The complexion of the race fundamentally changed as weather rolled in, causing the first of what would become two rain stoppages. The initial red flag delay, which lasted nearly an hour, tested the patience and adaptability of the teams and drivers.
When racing resumed, the field reacted with renewed vigor, well aware that another shower or a sequence of cautions could completely flip the day’s results.
Elliott who had led the bulk of the race by then, maintained his composure up front but tactical calls from Joe Gibbs Racing began to position its stable of drivers for a late-race showdown.
As the scheduled laps ticked down and the 400-lap distance neared, it became clear that a straightforward path to the finish was unlikely.
The race’s final quarter was characterized by aggressive moves throughout the top ten with the likes of Ty Gibbs, Bubba Wallace, and Brad Keselowski all seeking to capitalize on restarts and fresh tires.
Then, with just over a dozen laps remaining calamity struck: a late-race crash involving Ross Chastain brought out a caution and rain began falling once again, leading to a 56-minute red flag.
With only 13 scheduled laps to go, the first restart turned the contest into a shootout and the stakes suddenly skyrocketed. In a tactical reshuffling Hamlin took the lead but attacks from Briscoe who was armed with fresher tires threatened to undo his progress at every turn.
Notably, Christopher Bell’s day unraveled at this point as he spun and later received a costly speeding penalty after challenging for the lead, relegating him to a disappointing 18th-place.
The final restart, triggered by the double overtime extension, Denny Hamlin timed his launch to perfection eking out a slim margin over Chase Briscoe who despite fresher rubber could not muscle past his more experienced teammate.
Hamlin ultimately crossed the line just 0.310 seconds ahead to win Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, etching his name into Dover’s history books yet again with his second consecutive win at the track and his fourth victory in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
2025 Dover NASCAR Cup Race Results – Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400
“Things are going pretty well there before the rain,” said Hamlin. “Then obviously had to endure a few restarts there. But yeah, it was tough. Those guys gave me a run for it, no doubt about it.
“This whole Progressive Toyota team did amazing … winning here in Dover is super special to me. This is a place I’ve not been very good at the first half of my career. Having a back-to-back here over the last few years is amazing.”
Meanwhile, Alex Bowman capitalized on the late chaos to take third, besting Larson and Ty Gibbs, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Elliott’s dominant day ended in frustration as he dropped to sixth despite leading the most laps. Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski rounded out a remarkably competitive top ten.
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