Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on September 07, 2025 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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NASCAR News: Hamlin wins Cup race at Gateway from pole

Posted by AR1 staff

Denny Hamlin (pictured) ended a 20-year quest for a NASCAR Cup Series championship contender status with a commanding victory in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway, securing his series-leading fifth win of 2025 and advancing to the Round of 12 in the Playoffs.

The polesitter outpaced Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe by 1.620 seconds before a sellout crowd, marking his first win at the 1.25-mile track, his 59th career victory, and Toyota’s 200th triumph.

Chase Briscoe, driver of the #19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on September 07, 2025 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Hamlin, 44, celebrated by addressing his critics in the grandstands: “You can either get on the bandwagon or get run over by it,” he said, undeterred by boos.

The win solidified his championship credentials, a title that has eluded him throughout his storied career. “It’s huge for Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing,” Hamlin added, dedicating the victory to his ailing father. “Fantastic day—couldn’t be better.”

Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on September 07, 2025 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Before the race, grand marshal Bill Murray, a regular at Hamlin’s annual golf tournament, leaned into the No. 11 Toyota for a quick chat. “I told him to keep the guys behind me there all race,” Hamlin quipped. “We made that happen.”

Strategic pit stops shaped the race’s outcome. Hamlin and Briscoe pitted early during a green-flag cycle with about 65 laps remaining.

A caution triggered by Ty Dillon’s wall contact on Lap 209 disrupted fuel-saving strategies, allowing Hamlin to seize the lead from Brad Keselowski after the Lap 216 restart and hold it to the finish. Briscoe, slowed by a left-rear tire issue on pit road, recovered for second. “Our speed was our strength,” Briscoe said. “But sloppiness—whether me or pit road—held us back.”

The race widened the Playoff standings gap. Austin Cindric, finishing 19th, clung to 12th in the Playoff grid, 11 points ahead of Austin Dillon in 13th. Shane van Gisbergen’s 25th-place finish left him 15 points below the cut line, while Alex Bowman (26th) and Josh Berry (last after an early crash) trailed by 35 and 45 points, respectively, facing must-win scenarios at Bristol’s Night Race.

Other Playoff contenders thrived. Briscoe, already locked into the next round after Darlington, won Stage 1. Bubba Wallace claimed Stage 2 and finished eighth. Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano took third, fourth, and fifth, with Logano’s top-five marking his fourth straight—a series-best streak.

Christopher Bell’s seventh-place finish kept him 32 points above the cut line, while Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and William Byron (11th and 12th) remained safely positioned for advancement.

Tensions flared when Larson, ran out of talent on Lap 135, spun Blaney, who recovered for fourth but was frustrated. “I just wanted to know what I did to deserve it,” Blaney said, noting Larson’s apology for the “mistake.” Larson admitted, “I misjudged it and clipped him. It wasn’t intentional, but I hurt his day.”

Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and William Byron, driver of the #24 Z by HP Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on September 07, 2025 in Madison, Illinois. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Ryan Blaney got spun out when Kyle Larson ran out of talent and spun him

**Notes**: John Hunter Nemechek led non-Playoff drivers with sixth. Hamlin led 75 laps, Wallace 73. The race saw 15 lead changes among nine drivers and 10 cautions for 52 laps.

Denny Hamlin

59 is important to you, but to get 200 for Toyota, what is the significance of that?

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, it’s so big for everyone at Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Progressive Toyota was great there at the end. So happy to get this victory. My dad’s not feeling well at home. Just shout-out to him. The whole family’s here.

Fantastic day. Man, couldn’t be better.

In honor of your dad, how do you continually find another level at age 44?

DENNY HAMLIN: I mean, just step up. I mean, all I can do is just keep being a student of the game, keep trying to get better. Every week is a chance to get a little better.

What does your friend Bill Murray say to you right before the race? He came inside the car for a good little bit there.

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, I just told him to talk to the guys behind me and make sure they stay behind me the rest of the race. We made that happen.

Man, it’s just a great victory. Love that Denny time flag, poster is pretty good. Y’all can boo me. You can either get on the bandwagon or you can get run over by it.

You still love the boos?

DENNY HAMLIN: Bring ’em. Bring ’em all.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Enjoy Illinois 300 Results

1. (1)  Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 240.

2. (3)  Chase Briscoe (P), Toyota, 240.

3. (19)  Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 240.

4. (5)  Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 240.

5. (13)  Joey Logano (P), Ford, 240.

6. (20)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 240.

7. (8)  Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 240.

8. (14)  Bubba Wallace (P), Toyota, 240.

9. (11)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 240.

10. (21)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 240.

11. (6)  William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 240.

12. (2)  Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 240.

13. (32)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 240.

14. (28)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 240.

15. (27)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 240.

16. (7)  Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota, 240.

17. (23)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 240.

18. (15)  Austin Dillon (P), Chevrolet, 240.

19. (9)  Austin Cindric (P), Ford, 240.

20. (34)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 240.

21. (16)  Erik Jones, Toyota, 240.

22. (22)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 240.

23. (17)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 240.

24. (4)  Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet, 240.

25. (18)  Shane Van Gisbergen # (P), Chevrolet, 240.

26. (25)  Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet, 240.

27. (29)  Cole Custer, Ford, 240.

28. (31)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 240.

29. (36)  Cody Ware, Ford, 240.

30. (24)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 239.

31. (33)  Riley Herbst #, Toyota, 239.

32. (30)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 239.

33. (10)  Zane Smith, Ford, 239.

34. (35)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 207.

35. (26)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, Accident, 64.

36. (12)  Josh Berry (P), Ford, Accident, 35.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  98.262 mph.

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 3 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory:  1.620 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  10 for 52 laps.

Lead Changes:  15 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   D. Hamlin (P) 1-6;K. Larson (P) 7-28;D. Hamlin (P) 29-32;C. Briscoe (P) 33-47;K. Larson (P) 48-77;*. Wallace (P) 78-135;B. Keselowski 136-139;*. Wallace (P) 140-154;J. Logano (P) 155;D. Hamlin (P) 156-195;J. Logano (P) 196;C. Elliott (P) 197-200;T. Gibbs 201;R. Blaney (P) 202-206;B. Keselowski 207-215;D. Hamlin (P) 216-240.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Denny Hamlin (P) 4 times for 75 laps; * Bubba Wallace (P) 2 times for 73 laps; Kyle Larson (P) 2 times for 52 laps; Chase Briscoe (P) 1 time for 15 laps; Brad Keselowski 2 times for 13 laps; Ryan Blaney (P) 1 time for 5 laps; Chase Elliott (P) 1 time for 4 laps; Joey Logano (P) 2 times for 2 laps; Ty Gibbs 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 19,5,11,24,12,23,20,1,38,9

Stage #2 Top Ten: 23,6,22,5,20,3,11,9,42,1