Newer tires not enough for Denny Hamlin in NASCAR Overtime
Four fresh tires for Denny Hamlin were not enough to make a final charge through the field.
When the final caution flag flew with a few laps to go Sunday in the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway, the race was pushed into NASCAR Overtime.
Hamlin, who was running fourth under caution, was the first driver to peel off the racing surface. Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, and Ryan Preece — running 11th, 12th, and 13th respectively — joined Hamlin on pit road.
“We were just trying to do anything we could to steal one with our Sport Clips Toyota,” said Hamlin, who has won at Martinsville five times. “We needed so many cars to do it – even still – the tires didn’t wear enough to matter.”
“We saw when Joey (Logano) stayed out on those 80-lap lefts and led most of the stage. Tires didn’t wear, and we just struggled to pass all day. Once I came out of that cycle – third or fourth – that’s kind of just where I stayed.”
Hamlin rejoined the field in 10th for the final restart, ultimately finish 11th.
The other four-tire takers finished seventh (Tyler Reddick), ninth (Ryan Preece) and 12th (Erik Jones).
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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.