Denny Hamlin Wins Phoenix and a Chance to Win his First Championship

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AVONDALE, AZ - RIS - Denny Hamlin was under the cut line for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4, was able to hold off Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney and now gets to run for a championship at Miami-Homestead Speedway next weekend.  A final three lap shootout saw him drive away and take the race at ISM Speedway in the desert in Arizona.

“I said I’m going to give it everything I’ve got to make up for that mistake last week…I’ve been through so many playoffs and done them wrong,” Hamlin said. “This year, I’m always been waiting on the next right thing to happen.”

Hamlin led four times for 143 laps, including the final 62.

Hamlin joins Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch is next week’s Ford EcoBoost 400 as part of the Championship 4 and a chance to win this year’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title.

Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top five.

Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski completed the first 10 finishers.

Winning the race came down to the final restart that was set up by a late race caution flag for an incident involving John Hunter Nemechek. When the green flew with three laps to go, Hamlin had to battle with Ryan Blaney for the top spot. He was able to get by the Team Penske driver as the duo raced through the first and second turns and once he cleared Blaney, Hamlin took the checkered flag ahead of Kyle Busch to advance to next week’s Championship 4.

Chase Elliott’s chance to win at ISM Raceway and advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead ended on lap 165 when a cut tire sent him into the wall and out of the race with a severely damaged car.

Logano led 93 laps but failed to transfer to Miami and was seven points below the cutline for the first time he’ll miss the Championship Blaney finished third in both ISM races in 2019 but missed transferring to Miami 31 points behind fourth place.

Kyle Larson finished top 10 in the last three races at ISM but missed transferring to Miami and was 33 points behind the cutline.

As much as this seems impossible, 2019 is the third straight season a Chevrolet driver failed to make the Championship 4. This series has always had powerful Chevrolets, but the slide is seemingly long now.  Toyota, on the other hand seems to be the strongest manufacturer this season.  It was Ford in 2018. Joe Gibbs Racing finished 1-2 for the sixth time this season.

Unofficial Results: 32nd Annual Bluegreen Vacations 500, November 10, 2019, ISM Raceway

Fin, St, Driver, Car, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Pts, Status
1) 3, Denny Hamlin (P), 11, FedEx Ground Toyota, 312, 1, 2, 4, 143, 59, Running
2) 1, Kyle Busch (P), 18, M&M's Toyota, 312, 3, 4, 1, 69, 50, Running
3) 10, Ryan Blaney (P), 12, DEX Imaging Ford, 312, 7, 5, , , 44, Running
4) 5, Kyle Larson (P), 42, Clover Chevrolet, 312, 5, 8, , , 42, Running
5) 7, Kevin Harvick (P), 4, Mobil 1 Ford, 312, 9, 7, , , 38, Running
6) 4, Martin Truex Jr. (P), 19, Bass Pro Shops Toyota, 312, , 6, , , 36, Running
7) 9, Erik Jones, 20, Interstate Batteries Toyota, 312, , , , , 30, Running
8) 13, Clint Bowyer, 14, One Cure Ford, 312, , , , , 29, Running
9) 2, Joey Logano (P), 22, Shell Pennzoil Ford, 312, 4, 1, 2, 93, 45, Running
10) 12, Brad Keselowski, 2, Miller Lite Ford, 312, 6, 9, 1, 3, 34, Running
11) 8, Kurt Busch, 1, Monster Energy Chevrolet, 312, 10, 10, 1, 4, 28, Running
12) 19, Paul Menard, 21, Menards/Maytag Ford, 312, , , , , 25, Running
13) 16, Matt DiBenedetto, 95, Dumont Jets Toyota, 312, , , , , 24, Running
14) 22, Jimmie Johnson, 48, Ally Chevrolet, 312, , , , , 23, Running
15) 15, Daniel Suarez, 41, Haas Automation Ford, 312, , , , , 22, Running
16) 17, Chris Buescher, 37, Maxwell House Chevrolet, 311, , , , , 21, Running
17) 18, William Byron, 24, Hertz Chevrolet, 311, 8, , , , 23, Running
18) 20, Ryan Newman, 6, Mazola Ford, 311, , , , , 19, Running
19) 24, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 17, NOS Energy Ford, 311, , , , , 18, Running
20) 29, Ty Dillon, 13, GEICO Military Chevrolet, 311, , , , , 17, Running
21) 27, Daniel Hemric #, 8, Cat Large Dozers Chevrolet, 311, , , , , 16, Running
22) 11, Aric Almirola, 10, Eckrich Ford, 310, , , , , 15, Running
23) 14, Alex Bowman, 88, Axalta Chevrolet, 310, , , , , 14, Running
24) 28, Austin Dillon, 3, American Ethanol Chevrolet, 309, , , , , 13, Running
25) 23, Bubba Wallace, 43, United States Air Force Chevrolet, 308, , , , , 12, Running
26) 25, Ryan Preece #, 47, Kroger Chevrolet, 307, , , , , 11, Running
27) 26, John Hunter Nemechek(i), 36, Yanmar/Martin Generators Ford, 307, , , , , 0, Running
28) 32, Ross Chastain(i), 15,  Chevrolet, 307, , , , , 0, Running
29) 39, JJ Yeley(i), 53, Factor One Source Pharmacy Ford, 306, , , , , 0, Running
30) 21, Michael McDowell, 34, Love's Travel Stops Ford, 306, , , , , 7, Running
31) 35, Garrett Smithley(i), 51, Jacob Companies Chevrolet, 304, , , , , 0, Running
32) 34, Bayley Currey(i), 52, Pit Boss Grills Chevrolet, 304, , , , , 0, Running
33) 33, Landon Cassill(i), 00, StarCom Fiber Chevrolet, 303, , , , , 0, Running
34) 36, * Joe Nemechek(i), 27, VIPRacingExperience.com Chevrolet, 296, , , , , 0, Running
35) 31, Corey LaJoie, 32, Bluegreen Vacations Ford, 294, , , , , 2, Running
36) 30, David Ragan, 38, Mannington Commercial Ford, 261, , , , , 1, Suspension
37) 37, Reed Sorenson, 77, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, 226, , , , , 1, Brakes
38) 38, * Joey Gase(i), 66, Fan Memories at WGI Toyota, 170, , , , , 0, Engine
39) 6, Chase Elliott (P), 9, NAPA Autocare Center Chevrolet, 165, 2, 3, , , 18, Accident
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie, (P) Playoffs qualified

Time of Race: 2 Hr, 48 Min, 0 Sec
Race Length: 312 Laps: 312. Miles
Average Speed: 111.429 MPH
Margin of Victory: .377 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 11, 9, 18, 22, 42, 2, 12, 24, 4, 1
Stage 2 Top 10: 22, 11, 9, 18, 12, 19, 4, 42, 2, 1

Race Comments: Denny Hamlin won the 32nd annual Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway. His 37th victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Caution Flags: 5 for 32 laps;
Laps: 68-72 (No. 17 Incident Turn 4 [None]);
77-82 (Stage 1 Conclusion [47]);
152-159 (Stage 2 Conclusion [13]);
167-173 (No. 9 Incident Turn 1 [17]);
304-309 (No. 36 Incident Turn 1 [20]).

Lead Changes: 8 among 5 drivers;
K. Busch (P) 1-69;
B. Keselowski 70-72;
D. Hamlin (P) 73-82;
J. Logano (P) 83-153;
D. Hamlin (P) 154;
J. Logano (P) 155-176;
D. Hamlin (P) 177-246;
K. Busch 247-250;
D. Hamlin (P) 251-312.

American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Joey Logano, No. 22
Busch Pole Award: Kyle Busch, No. 18 140.116 mph

Fastest Lap: Denny Hamlin, No. 11
Moog Go the Extra Mile: Erik Jones, No. 20 crew chief Chris Gayle, 0.03 seconds

Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Daniel Hemric, No. 8