Denny Hamlin came out victorious in a tyre management battle at the Food City 50👍0 to𒅌 secure his first win of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series.

The 43-year-old veteran had not won a race since the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Niꦅght R😼ace at the Bristol Motor Speedway last season.

After claiming his 52nd 🍌career victory in the Cup Series Hamlin went on to praise his Joe Gibbs Toyot⛎a team after the race to Fox Sports:

“We just had a great car,ꦕ a great team, the pit crew did a phenomenal job all day I can’t say 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-ma𒊎te 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 Martin [Truex Jr] knew how to do i💝t as well.”

Hamlin believes that his vast experience on sho💫rt track growing🐈 up allowed him to battle for victory:

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

This win moved Hamlin up the Championship order into fifth place in the standings, increasing his chances of a Championship battle later in t▨he season.