NASCAR Cup Series: Denny Hamlin wins 2019 Hollywood Casino 400

Denny Hamlin closed out the round of 12 of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a thrilling victory at Kansas Speedway in the Hollywood Casino 400.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin locked up his spot in the round of 8 of the four-round, 10-race 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs during Sunday afternoon’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

But that didn’t stop him from taking the checkered flag to secure his fifth victory of the season and his first in over two months since he won the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Hamlin started this 277-lap race, which was extended from a 267-lap race as a result of two overtime periods that took place due to two late wrecks, around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Kansas Speedway oval in Kansas City, Kansas in 23rd place in his #11 Toyota, and he won it by 0.128 seconds over Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott in second in his #9 Chevrolet.

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Elliott, who started the race 22 points below the round of 8 cut line, squeaked into the round of 8 with his second place finish. On the final restart with two laps remaining, he sat a few points below it, but Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski dropped like a rock after making contact with the wall.

Elliott needed to finish 14 positions ahead of Keselowski to advance to the round of 8, and he finished 17 positions ahead of him, as Keselowski finished in 19th place in his #2 Ford.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch finished in third place in his #18 Toyota ahead of brother Kurt of Chip Ganassi Racing in fourth in his #1 Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, who saw his playoff run come to an end, finished in fifth in his #24 Chevrolet.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones gave the team four of the top seven positions, as they finished in sixth and seventh place in their #19 Toyota and #20 Toyota, respectively.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Clint Bowyer also saw his playoff run end with an eighth place finish behind the wheel of the #14 Ford ahead of teammate Kevin Harvick in ninth in his #4 Ford.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top 10 by finishing in 10th place in his #48 Chevrolet ahead of teammate Alex Bowman in 11th in his #88 Chevrolet. Bowman, who entered the race ahead of Elliott in the playoff picture but below the round of 8 cut line, also saw his playoff run come to an end in the round of 12 for the second consecutive season.

This race featured 15 lead changes among 11 leaders, with Hamlin leading a race-high 153 laps. The other lap leaders included Byron, Truex, Bowman, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Team Penske teammates Joey Logano, Keselowski and Ryan Blaney, Richard Childress Racing rookie Daniel Hemric and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Daniel Suarez.

Hemric started the race from the pole position before Logano won stage one and Hamlin won stage two, becoming the first stage winner to win a race at Kansas Speedway since stage racing was introduced ahead of the 2017 season.

The race featured seven caution flag periods, the most notable two of which being the two that caused the two overtime periods. The second of these two caution flag periods involved Logano, although he still finished in 17th place in his #22 Ford to advance to the round of 8. It was the ensuing restart that caused Keselowski to drop out of the playoff mix.

Of the 40 drivers who started the race, 33 finished it and 21 finished on the lead lap.

Here are the full race results of the 2019 Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

NOTE: Round of 8 playoff drivers are listed in italics.

Race Results
1st – Denny Hamlin
2nd – Chase Elliott
3rd – Kyle Busch
4th – Kurt Busch
5th – William Byron
6th – Martin Truex Jr.
7th – Erik Jones
8th – Clint Bowyer
9th – Kevin Harvick
10th – Jimmie Johnson
11th – Alex Bowman
12th – Ryan Preece
13th – Chris Buescher
14th – Kyle Larson
15th – Matt DiBenedetto
16th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17th – Joey Logano
18th – Paul Menard
19th – Brad Keselowski
20th – Austin Dillon
21st – Ryan Blaney
22nd – Ty Dillon
23rd – Aric Almirola
24th – Michael McDowell
25th – Matt Tifft
26th – David Ragan
27th – Ross Chastain
28th – Corey LaJoie
29th – Parker Kligerman
30th – J.J. Yeley
31st – Daniel Hemric
32nd – Daniel Suarez
33rd – Reed Sorenson
34th – Garrett Smithley
35th – Darrell Wallace Jr.
36th – Josh Bilicki
37th – Landon Cassill
38th – Joey Gase
39th – Timmy Hill
40th – Ryan Newman

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The next race on the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series playoff schedule is scheduled to take place at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. This race, the First Data 500, is the opening race of the round of 8 of the playoffs, and it is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 27.

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