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Denny Hamlin has six Cup Series wins at Martinsville Speedway, the most of any active driver, and he goes into Sunday’s Xfinity 500 needing a big day to keep his title hopes alive.
Hamlin, from Chesterfield, Virginia, calls Martinsville his home track. He is 73 points behind Kyle Larson with two races left. Here is a look at each of his Martinsville wins.
2008: The first one
Hamlin got his first Martinsville win in the spring of 2008, his third full-time Cup season, driving the No. 11 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
2009: Holding off Jimmie Johnson
In the fall of 2009, Hamlin held off Jimmie Johnson for his second Martinsville win and the seventh Cup win of his career. Johnson went on to win his fourth straight championship that year.
Spring 2010: Three wide to the white flag
Hamlin was leading with less than 10 laps to go when he pitted for four tires, while most of the lead-lap cars stayed out. He restarted back in the pack for overtime, then went three wide past Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth entering Turn 3 coming to the white flag and won.
He had surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee days after that race, and he did not miss a start that season.
Fall 2010: A third straight
Hamlin swept both Martinsville races in 2010. The fall win was his third straight at Martinsville and his fourth overall.
2015: Ending a drought
After four and a half years without a Martinsville win, Hamlin won there again in March 2015. It was his fifth Martinsville win and the 25th Cup win of his career.
2025: Leading 274 laps
Hamlin’s most recent Martinsville win came in the spring race last year, the Cook Out 400. He won Stage 1 and led 274 of the 400 laps. It was the 55th Cup win of his career.
Close to a seventh in March
Hamlin nearly won again this spring. He won the pole, swept the first two stages and led 292 laps, but Chase Elliott beat him to the line.
What Hamlin needs Sunday
Larson clinches his third Cup title at Martinsville if he leaves with a lead of at least 77 points, as Pit This Time reported. Hamlin has said catching Larson is “highly unlikely,” but a win at Martinsville would keep the title alive heading to Homestead.
The Xfinity 500 is Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC from Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia.
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