Denny Hamlin achieved consecutive victories by advancing from the back of the field to the lead for two weeks in a row.
Following his effort to navigate through competitors at Nashville, despite beginning the event from the pole position, Hamlin replicated this feat at Michigan this past Sunday. Hamlin secured the pole position on Saturday, yet was required to commence the race from the back due to vehicle damage. He seized the lead for a second occasion subsequent to a restart on lap 162, securing a dominant win by outdistancing the other drivers by over ten seconds.
This triumph marks Hamlin’s third win this competitive year, adding to his victory in the fifth race held in Las Vegas. He commemorated his success by displaying a flag dedicated to his late former colleague, Kyle Busch, who passed away on May 21 from sepsis complications while battling bacterial pneumonia.
Busch secured 63 victories during his time competing in the Cup Series. This Sunday’s event represented Hamlin’s 63rd career triumph in the Cup Series.
In Nashville, Hamlin initially began the postponed event from the leading spot. However, he committed a jump start violation and was compelled to undergo a drive-through penalty during green flag conditions. This action positioned him at the very end of the pack only a few laps into the competition. Nevertheless, he diligently progressed through the ranks, ultimately overtaking fellow Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe to claim victory in the closing stages.
Erik Jones secured the runner-up position behind Hamlin this Sunday, with Bubba Wallace taking third place and Kyle Larson earning fourth.
Tyler Reddick, who currently leads the points standings and had clinched five of the initial nine races in 2026, experienced a crash during a mid-race restart. This occurred when Carson Hocevar, who finished fifth, applied an excessively forceful nudge to John Hunter Nemechek. Reddick’s vehicle sustained significant damage from a forceful impact with the interior wall, necessitating his withdrawal from the competition. This marks his inaugural finish beyond the top 15 for the entire season.
Despite his recent triumph, Hamlin maintained his second-place position in the overall standings, trailing only Reddick.
Bell and Elliott collision halts competition
An intense incident involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott was of such severity that it compelled NASCAR officials to display the red flag, pausing Sunday’s event at Michigan with fifty laps remaining.
After a restart, Elliott and Bell were contending for the second position when Elliott lost control beneath Bell. This collision propelled Bell’s vehicle into the retaining wall at approximately a 45-degree inclination. Such an impact ranks among the most forceful witnessed. Fortunately, both participants promptly exited their vehicles following the incident, however, Bell’s car owner, Joe Gibbs, later disclosed that Bell had sustained ankle and wrist injuries.
“I bear full responsibility, and I deeply regret what happened to Bell,” Elliott stated.
The severity of Bell’s impact caused a noticeable indentation in the track barrier at the point of collision. NASCAR racing venues incorporate SAFER barriers, which are designed as a double-layered wall containing internal foam material to dissipate energy. The exterior barrier visibly deformed inward due to the force exerted by Bell’s vehicle.
“I doubt you will witness a vehicle strike the wall with greater intensity or velocity than what occurred there,” remarked Dale Earnhardt Jr. during the Amazon Prime broadcast.
This caution period marked the tenth of the competition, matching a record for the Michigan circuit. William Byron was positioned ahead of both Bell and Elliott at the moment the incident transpired.
Final Competition Standings
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Erik Jones
3. Bubba Wallace
4. Kyle Larson
5. Carson Hocevar
6. Daniel Suarez
7. Joey Logano
8. Ryan Blaney
9. Chris Buescher
10. Chase Briscoe
11. Austin Cindric
12. Cole Custer
13. Riley Herbst
14. John Hunter Nemechek
15. Josh Berry
16. Ross Chastain
17. AJ Allmendinger
18. William Byron
19. Alex Bowman
20. Austin Hill
21. JJ Yeley
22. Todd Gilliland
23. Cody Ware
24. Ty Dillon
25. Ty Gibbs
26. Michael McDowell
27. Noah Gragson
28. Ryan Preece
29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
30. Shane van Gisbergen
31. Christopher Bell
32. Chase Elliott
33. Zane Smth
34. Brad Keselowski
35. Tyler Reddick
36. Austin Dillon
37. Connor Zilisch
