Denny Hamlin clinched a remarkable victory Sunday in the Enjoy Illinois 300 held at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. This win marked a milestone as Hamlin not only earned his 59th career NASCAR Cup Series triumph but also powered Toyota to its 200th Cup Series win since their debut in 2007.
Hamlin overtook Brad Keselowski on the lap 215 restart during the 240-lap event at the 1.25-mile circuit, holding the lead to secure his fifth win of the 2025 season. The race’s closing stages proved critical as a late caution shook up the field, enabling Hamlin to capitalize and pull away for the victory.
Race Dynamics and Key Moments
The race experienced a pivotal caution on lap 210 when Ty Dillon of Kaulig Racing crashed into the wall on the frontstretch approaching turn one. This caution interrupted a green-flag pit stop cycle and reshuffled the race order. Hamlin had already pitted earlier and was able to regain position on the lead lap.
Restarting second alongside Keselowski, Hamlin quickly captured the lead and maintained it through to the finish line. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe finished closely behind in second place, while Chase Elliott secured third position, followed by Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano.
Significance of Toyota’s 200th Win and Hamlin’s Career Feat
Hamlin’s victory was historic for Toyota, marking their 200th win in NASCAR’s premier series since the manufacturer entered in 2007. For Hamlin, it represented his fifth time winning at least five races in a single season, a feat he last achieved in 2020 when he won seven races.
Approaching his 45th birthday, Hamlin continues to demonstrate resilience and competitiveness among NASCAR’s elite drivers. He is positioned just one win away from tying Kevin Harvick for the 10th spot on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series win list.
“Yeah, it’s so big for everyone at Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing,”
said Hamlin.
The Toyota was just great there at the end. And so happy to get this victory and my dad’s not feeling well at home. So just shoutout to him, the whole family’s here, so fantastic day and it couldn’t be better.”
—Denny Hamlin
“I mean, all I can do is just keep being a student of the game, keep trying to get better, and every week is a chance to get a little better. I just told [Grand Marshal Bill Murray] to talk to the guys behind me and make sure they stay behind me the rest of the race. So we made that happen.”
—Denny Hamlin
Fan Response and Victory Celebration
During his victory celebration, Hamlin embraced the intense reactions from the crowd, which included both cheers and boos. His confident presence resonated throughout the event, capturing the attention of fans and competitors alike.
“Man, it’s just a great victory. Love that Denny Time flag, the poster is pretty good. You all can boo me, but you can either get on the bandwagon, or you can get run over by it.”
—Denny Hamlin
Chase Briscoe’s Challenging Yet Strong Performance
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe, fresh off a win at the Cook Out Southern 500, battled hard to finish second at the Illinois track. His day featured highs and lows, including an intense on-track incident with Daniel Suarez on lap 62 and difficulties on pit road that briefly dropped him out of the top 30.
Despite these setbacks, Briscoe’s car showed competitive speed, especially after changing two tires during his last green-flag pit stop. His determination and strategic recovery kept him in contention for the win alongside Hamlin.
“I would say our strength was our speed,”
Briscoe reflected.
“We had a really good Bass Pro Shops Toyota. Our weakness was just the sloppiness, right? Whether it was me behind the wheel or pit road. I don’t know what the left rear issue was.”
“Great recovery. James [Small] did an amazing job of doing something different to get us up there, would have loved to battle up there and potentially try to be everybody’s favorite driver for Toyota’s 200th win. I was at a tire deficit. I thought our car, for having the tire deficit and everything else, showed how good it was.”
—Chase Briscoe
Looking Ahead to NASCAR Playoffs and Upcoming Events
With their strong performances, both Hamlin and Briscoe have secured their spots in the Round of 12 for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The current Round of 16 will conclude with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 13, where drivers will continue to vie for playoff advancement.
Fans can follow the Bristol event live on USA Network, as well as on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, ensuring full coverage of this critical stage in the series.
