Denny Hamlin just delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career this weekend, scoring his fifth win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season in the Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway, Gateway. This wasn’t just any win—Hamlin’s strong run from the pole delivered Toyota its 200th Cup Series victory and marked his own 59th career win in the series. That milestone also tied him for 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list alongside Kevin Harvick, putting him just one win away from hitting the legendary sixty mark according to CBS Sports and Frontstretch.
The race was a heated contest of pit strategy and tire gambles, with Hamlin and his No. 11 crew acing the final round of stops. After a late brake failure for Ty Dillon forced a pivotal caution, Hamlin cycled to the front with four fresh tires—powering past Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe, whose own pit strategies left them at a disadvantage on old rubber. After retaking the lead with 25 laps to go, Denny never looked back, crossing the finish line with a chorus of boos and cheers ringing in his ears. Always ready to play the villain, Hamlin leaned into it, telling the crowd, “You can boo me, but you can either get on the bandwagon or get run over by it”—a line that’s already making the rounds on social media and NASCAR fan forums, cementing his status as one of racing’s most polarizing figures.
On a more personal note, Hamlin dedicated this win to his father, who isn’t feeling well at home, and spoke about the pride of sharing the day with family in attendance as reported by NBC Sports. He also joked pre-race with grand marshal Bill Murray, asking him to remind the drivers behind to just stay there—which, given the race result, maybe they should have.
Hamlin’s win automatically advances him into the playoff Round of 12 and gives both Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota momentum with two playoff races, both won by their drivers so far. The race wasn’t without drama elsewhere—Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney’s on-track dust-up, and Chase Elliott’s early spin with Josh Berry grabbed headlines, but the day belonged to Denny.
There haven’t been any major business announcements or social media controversies for Denny in the past 24 hours. His online channels, including Twitter and Instagram, have been focused on celebrating the Gateway win, with team shoutouts and that ever-present, defiant banter with fans and doubters alike. He’s scheduled to appear at several upcoming Bristol events later in the week, and with the Bristol Night Race on deck, the momentum is squarely with Hamlin.
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