Denny Hamlin came out victorious in a tyre management battle at the 🐼Food City 500 to secure his first win🌠 of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series.

The 43-year-old veteran had not won a race since the 2023ꦰ Bass Pro Shops Night Race at the Bristol Motor Speedway lꦍast season.

After claiming his 52nd career victory🎐 in the Cup Series Hamlin went on to praise his Joe Gibbs Toyota team afterꦚ the race to Fox Sports:

“We just had a great car, a great team, the pit crew did a phenomenal job all day I can’t say𒈔 enough about them.”

It became obvious very early on that the race last night was going to involve serious tyre management, which suited Hamlin perfectly. But also allowed team-mate Martin Truex Jr to fight 🎉him for the win:

“Once 🀅it became a tyre management race, I really liked our chances. Obviously, the veteran in Martℱin [Truex Jr] knew how to do it as well.”

Hamlin believes that his vast experience on short track growing up allowed him to battl🅰e for victory:

“It is what I grew up doing here in the short tracks, in the 🐲whole mid-Atlantic. So, South Boston, Martinsville, all those tracks, it is what I grew up doing.”

This win moved 🍬Hamlin up the Championship or൲der into fifth place in the standings, increasing his chances of a Championship battle later in the season.