Denny Hamlin delivered a commanding performance to win the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway, marking the first short-track race of the 2025 season. The Virginia native led an impressive 274 of 400 laps, the most he has ever paced in a Next Gen race. This victory, his first since Dover last spring, is the 55th of his career, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace. It also marks his sixth win at Martinsville, though his first in nearly a decade, with his last coming in the 2015 spring race.
Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Christopher Bell, who started from pole position, finished second in the No. 20 Toyota. Bubba Wallace placed third in the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, while Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Current series points leader William Byron struggled with his No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet, failing to lead a lap for the first time this season and finishing 22nd. Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano won Stage 1 and earned his first top-10 finish of 2025, overcoming a late-race spin to place ninth.
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Darlington Raceway next Sunday for the Goodyear 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as part of Throwback Weekend. Brad Keselowski, representing RFK Racing, is the defending race winner.
