Denny Hamlin didn’t beat NASCAR nation’s favorite driver today.
Chase Elliott won the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway to pick up the second grandfather clock of his Cup Series career.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver started in 10th, but finished outside the top 10 in the first two stages, which were swept by a dominant Denny Hamlin.
Elliott’s team then made the call to bring him in for an early pit stop on lap 261, which helped move him toward the front when a yellow flag came out on lap 312. He took the restart on the front row next to Ross Chastain and was able to get to the lead and hold it.
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Hamlin, who led 292 laps on the day, was there at the end and the only one challenging Elliott in the closing laps, but he just couldn’t find the speed needed to close the gap and get by.
“We’ve never had a win this early in the season so really just a really great, a really great team effort,” Elliott said.
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The win ended a winless streak for Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet that stretched back to last October’s Martinsville race. Hamlin held on for second and was followed by Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs and William Byron.
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