Virginia native Denny Hamlin emerged victorious in a thrilling finish at the NASCAR Cup Series’ Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on Sunday night. The Chesterfield, Va., native managed to pull away from Joey Logano and Kyle Larson to win by 0.269 seconds, marking his 53rd win and fifth at Richmond.
After Bubba Wallace brought out a caution by spinning Kyle Larson with two laps to go, the 16 lead-lap cars pitted, with Hamlin emerging as the leader. In his 300th career Cup start, Chris Buescher brought his No. 17 Ford home ninth, while Truex and Chase Elliott completed the top five.
The 400-lap event was hindered and delayed briefly by rain. After track-drying efforts made the three-quarter-mile track raceable but still damp, NASCAR threw a curveball at the field and opted to run wet weather tires, which were used last season at the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
Larson dominated the race, leading Wallace as the field came down to a non-competitive pit stop. The 33-year-old Berry, a short-track veteran for years driving for JR Motorsports and part-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., started 30th and moved all the way to third by Lap 102. Truex eventually claimed the second segment, marking his first stage win this season and sixth career at Richmond.
