EditorsNote: adds quotes, details
Denny Hamlin has been driving full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since 2006. He has finished third in the season standings twice and runner-up on one occasion. He has made 501 starts, but the series' biggest trophy has remained beyond his grasp.
On Sunday at Kansas Speedway, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver's quest to nab that first career championship got a nice kick forward when he won the Hollywood Casino 400.
The victory in Kansas City, Kan. -- which came in double overtime in the playoffs cutoff race -- moved Hamlin into the Round of Eight, which begins next weekend in Martinsville, Va.
"This is a great feeling," said Hamlin, who was perfect in two late restarts. "That car was awesome. ... Can't wait to get to Martinsville."
It was the fifth victory of the season and the 36th career win for the 2019 Daytona 500 winner.
Finishing second was fan favorite Chase Elliott, who secured the final berth in the Round of Eight after starting the day 22 points out of the final third-round berth.
Kyle Busch, Hamlin's teammate, finished third. His older brother, Kurt Busch, was fourth.
William Byron, Elliott's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, finished fifth.
The big-picture story Sunday was the competition to advance to the Round of Eight.
Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney began the day already locked into the Round of Eight by virtue of their Round-of-12 victories at Dover and Talladega, respectively. Two other drivers -- Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. -- virtually were assured of advancing to the third round because of their driver point totals.
Joining those four drivers and Elliott as a result of the Kansas race are Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick (ninth place on Sunday) and reigning champion Joey Logano (17th place at Kansas).
Round-of-12 drivers who failed to transfer to round three were Brad Keselowski (19th place on Sunday), William Byron (fifth), Alex Bowman (11th) and Clint Bowyer (eighth).
--Field Level Media
