Denny Hamlin leads most laps, takes 2nd at Martinsville
Despite leading 292 of the 400 laps in the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday, Denny Hamlin fell one spot short of a second 2026 win and a seventh Martinsville victory.
A pit strategy late in the race by Chase Elliott put the No. 9 ahead of the field, enabling the 2020 champion to control the race.
“(Chase) did a good job to control the pace there,” Hamlin said. “Just really came from that bad restart I had beside (Chastain).
“Not much really I could have done there. Felt like we gave it our all.”
Hamlin swept the opening two stages, scoring 56 total points. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is now third in overall points heading into the Easter break.
Martinsville was the second time in 2026 Hamlin led the most laps in a race.
Yet, Hamlin said he may have been battling a loose wheel on the last run of the race.
“Either way, these are just some of the races that get away from you in your career,” Hamlin said. “This one is certainly one of them.”
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Dominic Aragon View All
Dominic Aragon is currently the editor-in-chief for The Racing Experts.
From Grants, New Mexico, USA, Aragon started watching NASCAR in 2004 and has been covering the sport since 2009. Aragon is a 2012 graduate of Grants High School and a May 2016 graduate of the University of New Mexico with a B.A. in Mass Communications & Journalism. Aragon has worked in local and national media, as a musician, and an educator. He is co-author of the 2024 book "All of It: Daytona 500 Champion Tells the Rest of the Story" with racer Geoff Bodine.
Aragon, his wife Feliz, and son Christopher currently reside in Grants, New Mexico, USA.
You can reach Dominic at daragon@theracingexperts.net.