“Not today”: Denny Hamlin backtracks from giving ‘shit’ to NASCAR fans after emotional victory in Las Vegas

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin clinched his 60th career win at the South Point 400 held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Sunday. But there was something different about his triumphant moment this time, and he got emotional during a post-race interview on the track.

The NASCAR veteran dominated the qualifying session, securing the pole position with a best lap time of 29.21 seconds, achieving a top speed of 184.85 mph. Despite a series of challenging moments, Hamlin proved himself and crossed the finish line with a 1.533-second gap ahead of Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson.

After taking the checkered flag, Denny Hamlin had an emotional moment and wiped off tears from his eyes during the post-race interaction. This time, instead of antagonizing the fans, Hamlin was grateful to them. Continuing further, he stated:

“It definitely means a lot. This is the point where I kind of give the fans some sh*t, but not today. I appreciate all of you so much. Obviously, want to say hi to my dad, family back at home, all the friends that came out here for Vegas, hoping we get 60.”

Following his Las Vegas Motor Speedway victory, Denny Hamlin became the first driver of this season to land a spot in the Championship Four race. Additionally, after three years, Hamlin is returning to the final race as a contender for the championship title.

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Denny Hamlin faced a pit stop blunder at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin secured his sixth win of this season at the 1.5-mile track on October 12, 2025. However, this win was not easy to come by, and his risky maneuver in the final stage could have cost him his win.

Despite having a remarkable start in the 267-lap race, the NASCAR veteran faced challenges from the initial stage. During stage one, Hamlin faced an issue with his transmission, preventing him from engaging fifth gear, causing his lead to fade. However, the #11 Toyota Camry XSE driver stayed in the battle and wrapped the stage in P4.

Following that, Denny Hamlin finished stage two in P4 also. Then, in the final stage of the Las Vegas race, he took the lead and decided to stay out to cover some ground while everyone was in the pits. But his pit stop was not as smooth as one might think. The #11 Toyota team's jackman struggled to lift the car's right side, causing his lead to fade once again.

However, the JGR driver paved his way up to the lead, and on lap 264, he took command of the race once again. He secured his second win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson ended the event as the runner-up, and Hamlin's teammate, Christopher Bell, came in third.

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Edited by Karan Yadav