In one of the most chaotic short track races in modern NASCAR Cup Series® history, Denny Hamlin played the tire conservation game masterfully at Bristol Motor Speedway to earn his first points-paying victory of the 2024 season.
Hamlin, with his Express Oil Change No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE, used his veteran prowess to manage his tires better than the rest to score the victory. The race saw a record 54 lead changes, thanks in large part to accelerated tire wear forcing strategies to vary throughout the 500-lap race. But, with his years of NASCAR CupSeries® experience and his proficiency in conserving tires around short tracks in his early-career Late Model days, Hamlin was able to take the lead from a Joe GibbsRacing teammate with 17 laps remaining and cruised to his 52nd career victory.