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Denny Hamlin wins NASCAR Nashville race Cracker Barrel 400
How Denny Hamlin led Joe Gibbs Racing to NASCAR Nashville race top-3 sweep,
LEBANON – Denny Hamlin won the Nashville NASCAR race, Cracker Barrel 400, in thrilling fashion by holding off teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe on the final two laps on May 31.
And in the process, gave Toyota its first NASCAR Cup Series win at Nashville Superspeedway in its six races.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHamlin, Bell and Briscoe — a trio of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers — earned a top-three sweep for Toyota.
Hamlin's win came after a track-record 31 lead changes on the final lap before a sold-out crowd of 38,000.
It also came after Hamlin, 45, went from last place to first for his second win of the 2026 season after being penalized for jumping the start from the pole position. It was Hamlin's 62nd career win. He is the winningest active Cup driver and 10th all-time.
NASCAR Nashville race best photos from Cracker Barrel 400 including Denny Hamlin
Dark clouds are seen on the horizon before the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, May 31, 2026. (ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN)Joe Gibbs Racing's best finish at Nashville before this race was in 2023, when Martin Truex Jr. was second, and Hamlin was third.
How Denny Hamlin made last-lap lead change
Hamlin, Bell, and Briscoe ran three-wide into turn one on the final lap.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It was wild," Hamlin said of the final lap with two teammates side-by-side. "At that point, I just decided I was going to run the fastest last lap that I possibly could and not worry about where (Bell) is at. When we came to the white, we had a terrible runoff. I know the 19 (Briscoe) had a good run. I didn't even know where (Briscoe) was until I saw a replay. I didn't know we were actually three-wide."
Hamlin decided to run as close to full throttle as he could for the final 1.33-mile lap.
"I think that (Bell) tried to not let me clear him and he also tried to clear the 19 and went too deep and allowed me to clear him," Hamlin said. "I just decided I was going to run the bottom. I was not going to wipe us out. I'm not going to try to self-clear myself like I have done in these situations and that was the best way to finish the last lap."
Hamlin led 57 laps. Bell led 29 and Briscoe 14.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUPDATED 2026 NASCAR POINT STANDINGS: NASCAR points standings, Cup Series points update after Nashville race
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished fourth and Shane van Gisbergen was fifth to round out the top five.
“It was great racing, I hope the fans enjoyed that,’’ Bell said. “Just disappointed in myself, disappointed for my team. We brought a great race car, and I didn’t get the job done.’’
After collecting the checkered flag, Hamlin gave a victory bow in honor of Kyle Busch, who died on May 21, on the track.
Even with the win, Hamlin said he doubts there will be enough opportunities remaining in the season for him to win the regular season points standings heading into the playoffs with Tyler Reddick having such a commanding lead. Reddick, winner of five wins, is in first place with 657 points, and Hamlin is in second, 97 behind him.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"We would have to win three or four more races, (Reddick is) going to have to have some DNF's and stuff," Hamlin said. "My goal is to try to stay P2, and that'll be close enough with 10 to go."
The start of the race was delayed by an hour and twenty minutes due to the weather.
Once the race finally started, it quickly became a wreckfest. There were 12 caution flags and 10 drivers − Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, AJ Allmendinger, Ross Chastain, Connor Zilisch, Josh Berry, William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Buba Wallace − did not finish. It was also a track record for the fewest cars on the lead lap with 15.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Denny Hamlin leads Joe Gibbs Racing trio in NASCAR Nashville race sweep