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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 30: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, speaks to the media after winning the pole award during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 30, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Denny Hamlin delivered one of the strongest performances of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season in the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver led 103 of 350 laps and held off Chase Briscoe to win the $1 million prize on Sunday night.

The victory marked Hamlin’s third straight NASCAR win at Dover Motor Speedway and his second career NASCAR All-Star Race victory. Even with the dominant result, Hamlin did not leave fully satisfied.

After the NASCAR race, he admitted that one issue still hurts him during key moments. While the No. 11 Toyota showed elite speed on long runs, Hamlin said his restarts remain a major weakness.

The veteran driver openly discussed the problem after another powerful showing at the Monster Mile during an important stretch of the NASCAR season.

Denny Hamlin Says Restarts Still Hurt NASCAR All-Star Race Results

Hamlin made it clear that his restart struggles remain the biggest issue in his recent NASCAR races. Despite controlling much of the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, he admitted he could not launch as well as he wanted while leading the field.

“If you look back at the last six or seven races of last year and the first 12 or so this season, this has probably been the best 20-race stretch of my career from a competitive standpoint,” Hamlin said. “Speed-wise, whenever we’re on an oval and turning left, we’ve been really fast.”

Hamlin then explained what still needs improvement before the NASCAR playoffs later this season.

“The only weakness right now is my restarts. That’s something I need to improve because a lot of these races come down to late shootouts.”

The NASCAR veteran also said he struggled entering Turns 1 and 2 during restarts while racing at the front.

“I wasn’t great on restarts when I was up front. My restarts in the back were really good, but up front I just couldn’t quite get through Turns 1 and 2 with the speed that I needed.”

NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway Turns Chaotic

The NASCAR All-Star Race featured several crashes and damaged cars before the field settled down. Drivers, including Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Brad Keselowski, faced problems during the NASCAR race.

Once the race moved into longer green-flag runs, Hamlin’s car became the fastest in the field. His Toyota performed well on older tires, and he maintained control for most of the final segment at Dover Motor Speedway.

Briscoe finished second despite battling illness during the NASCAR weekend. Erik Jones placed third for Legacy Motor Club in the NASCAR All-Star Race results.

The NASCAR All-Star Race used a new format with two 75-lap stages followed by a 200-lap final segment with an inversion. The format created several intense moments, but Hamlin’s long-run pace proved too strong once the race stabilized.

Denny Hamlin Builds NASCAR Momentum Before Coca-Cola 600

The NASCAR win continued Hamlin’s strong form during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. At 45 years old, he became one of the oldest drivers to win the NASCAR All-Star Race. He also said his team continues to improve outside of oval racing.

“I also want to keep getting better on road courses. I felt like we were solid at COTA and Watkins Glen. Right now, it feels like everything is coming together, and we’re happy with where we are.”

Hamlin also revealed he plans to give the $1 million prize money to his mother following the death of his father late last year.

The latest NASCAR All-Star Race victory also gives Joe Gibbs Racing momentum entering the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hamlin’s recent NASCAR results have also strengthened his position in the NASCAR driver standings as the season moves closer to the playoffs.