CHECKMATE: HAMLIN WINS A GAME OF FUEL SAVING IN MICHIGAN

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Denny Hamlin played the fuel mileage game to perfection at Michigan International Speedway to claim his third win of the season on Sunday.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver saved enough gas to earn his 57th career win in his 701st start. Hamlin joined a list of only 10 drivers to win a race following their 700th Cup series race.

Hamlin apologized to his father for reusing an old victory slogan while also embracing a chorus of boos from the crowd. “Daddy I'm sorry,” Hamlin said, “But I beat your favorite driver.”

“This is such a gratifying day,” Hamlin said after leading the last four laps. He felt fantastic after coming close to victory in the past few years and being on baby watch since last weekend’s race.

Hamlin restarted outside the top 10 with 50 laps remaining, slowly chasing down William Byron for the lead. Byron, who led the most laps at 98 total, was fighting to conserve fuel to the finish.

Byron ultimately ran out of fuel before taking the white flag and finished one lap down in 28th. This was the third race in 2025 which Byron has led more than any other driver, but lost the race.

“It really stings,” Byron said postrace. “It seemed like we waited a little on fuel at the last stop, and just burned more.”

Byron said there wasn’t much to do about that kind of a situation. “That’s just the way the cautions go and the nature of being closer to the front and burning more fuel,” Byron said.

The Michigan weekend brought Carson Hocevar a case of hometown heartbreak. The Portage, Michigan native led a career-high 32 laps before a cut tire dashed any hope of a strong finish.

Hocevar’s team told their driver that they could not make it to the checkered flag on fuel and were hoping for a caution. Unfortunately, Hocevar nearly became the caution with 19 laps to go.

“I thought we did everything right,” Hocevar said regarding the race before the tire failure. “It was going to be near impossible to save four laps around this place for how fast we're going.”

The 29th place result cost Hocevar one spot in the points standings, but he was still satisfied by the team’s overall speed. According to Hocevar, the goal is to continue getting better over time.

Chris Buecher lost track position after winning Stage 1, but recovered to finish second. He helped lead all three RFK Racing cars into the top 10 for the first time since Daytona in 2016.

“I didn't get it done,” Buescher said after his team brought a fast Kroger Heiz Ford Mustang. “We had a better car today, and I don't have any doubt about that, but that's all me.”

That result, mixed with yet another DNF by Alex Bowman, helped vault Buescher up two positions in the series standings. Now, two of three RFK Fords sit within playoff contention.

Next Sunday June 15, the NASCAR Cup Series travels to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. It will be the sport's third points-paying event held outside of the United States.

For the first time since 1958, NASCAR will pay championship points internationally. Coverage at the 2.42 mile road course begins at 3 p.m. ET on Prime Sports and the Motor Racing Network.