Motorsports

NASCAR Through the Gears: Denny Hamlin has gas, a border needs crossing, and yes, that’s a Hemi

In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan. And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching […]

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In the end, Denny Hamlin had enough horsepower to get by William Byron at Michigan.

And then he had enough gas in the tank to complete the 400 miles and bag his third trophy of the season. It’s also the 57th win of his career, which is 11th best all-time and three away from catching Kevin Harvick and reaching the top 10.

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After the checkers, he revved it and smoked it just enough to run out of gas and his No. 11 Toyota needed a tow to Victory Lane. No big deal, you likely say.

Well, probably not. But all the same, Denny might want to start saving on that Sunoco bill because his accompanying NASCAR job — team co-owner — might come with some financial headwinds in the coming weeks.

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Denny Hamlin's third win of 2025 was the 57th of his Cup career.

Denny Hamlin’s third win of 2025 was the 57th of his Cup career.

That’s right, Denny will be going right from post-victory interviews to a chat with the lawyers. But not before first checking in with the obstetrician.

Huh?

Let’s get up to speed …

First Gear: Worried? Not Denny

Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s fastest track, and no, we couldn’t say that if speeds weren’t restricted at the two highest-banked superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) as well as the newest too-fast-for-sanity track (Atlanta).

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In-car telemetry showed cars tickling and even surpassing 200 mph on the Michigan straights. Stressing the horses to such degrees naturally takes a lot of fuel, which is why Michigan occasionally comes down to who’s done a better job of calculating the mileage and, when needed, loosening the laces on the right shoe in order to feather that throttle.

A final caution with 53 laps remaining around the 2-mile oval left no room for error on fuel. William Byron, who reluctantly gave up the lead to Hamlin with four laps left, ran out of gas and had to quickly dive to the pits coming off Turn 4 with the white flag in sight.

Denny being Denny, he claimed afterward he wasn’t worried about his own gas gauge, even after Byron disappeared from his mirror for obvious reasons.

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“No, not really,” he suggested.

He has other issues on his mind, you know. Longtime fiancee Jordan Fish spent the weekend back home, awaiting the birth of the couple’s third child.

And there’s that other thing …

Second Gear: Courtroom setback precedes on-track victory

We haven’t revisited the courtroom for a few weeks, so let’s check in.

Uh-oh, we have actual movement, and not just paperwork involving the ongoing antitrust case filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR.

Last week, a federal appeals court overturned an earlier judgement that allowed 23XI (owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan) and Front Row to keep their coveted charters and all the benefits that come with those Cup Series “franchises” — each is a three-car team.

The teams were given until June 19 to file for a rehearing. If they don’t file, or if they do file and get another negative judgement, the appeals court’s verdict is set and the two teams can have their charters stripped by NASCAR, which would take away their automatic entry into each race and, more importantly, cost them the financial benefits of being a chartered team (bigger weekly payouts, etc.).

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The automatic race entry isn’t likely a big deal, since Cup races rarely reach the maximum 40-car limit. Lost revenue streams, however, is another thing entirely.

Beyond the current dust remains the early-December trial date that will ultimately settle the ugliness, unless something is worked out before then.

Third Gear: NASCAR stretches its southern boundary

For the first time since early March, the Cup Series visits a road course this coming weekend. But this isn’t Watkins Glen, Sonoma or any of the other familiar layouts. It’s the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.

Hopefully we’ll talk more about those Rodriguez brothers later in the week.

Meanwhile, if it all sounds a tad familiar, it’s because NASCAR’s Xfinity Series raced at the Mexico City track four straight years, from 2005-2008. The race winners were Martin Truex Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, and two dudes still very active today — Kyle Busch and, yes, Denny Hamlin.

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This effort poses a ton of logistical lifting for the Boys in Operations, who must navigate the distance and, more cumbersome, the chore of getting those packed haulers through customs at the border. What could go wrong?

Hopefully nothing.

Fourth Gear: Dodge racing back to NASCAR … in a Ram

“That thing got a Hemi?”

Man oh man, you could hardly go to a commercial break 20 years ago without hearing that phrase during an ad for Dodge Ram.

And now it’s coming back. About every half-generation, it seems, there’s a breakthrough in NASCAR’s manufacturer roll call. Dodge is the newest, announcing this past weekend that the Ram is returning to the Truck Series next season.

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Dodge was last in the Truck Series in 2013, and last raced the Cup Series in 2012. The Ram returns next February at Daytona. How long before the Charger makes its way to the Xfinity or Cup Series? No word yet, but you have to assume it’s part of the grand plan.

And yes, they’re also bringing back the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.

Hubba-hubba.

Email Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR: Denny Hamlin gives it the gas. Mexico next. Yep, it’s a Hemi



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