Veteran outduels Briscoe in double overtime after weather delay and high-stakes restarts at the Monster Mile
DOVER, DEL. — July 20, 2025 — In a race packed with drama, strategy swings, and a mid-race weather delay, Denny Hamlin rose above the madness to win the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway, surviving multiple overtimes and a late crash fest to take his first victory at Dover since 2020.
“That was a battle,” Hamlin said. “We had to fight off so many challenges—Bell, Briscoe, the weather—it feels good to bring it home.”
Stage 1 Recap: Elliott Takes Control Early
Pole-sitter Chase Elliott and Chase Briscoe led the field to green, but it was Briscoe who initially gained the advantage. Elliott struck back by Lap 14, reclaiming the lead with an aggressive move around the outside. After managing heavy lap traffic late in the stage, Elliott held off Christopher Bell to capture the Stage 1 win.
Stage 1 Top 3:
- Chase Elliott
- Christopher Bell
- Denny Hamlin
Stage 2 Recap: Bell Flips the Script
Despite a slow pit stop due to a jack mishap, Elliott restarted up front. However, Christopher Bell capitalized on the green flag pit cycle and leapfrogged both Elliott and Hamlin. Bell stormed away to win Stage 2 as handling issues began to plague Hamlin, who slipped to third.
Stage 2 Top 3:
- Christopher Bell
- Alex Bowman
- Denny Hamlin
Stage 3: Rain, Wrecks, and Reshuffling
The final stage was a chaotic chess match. A pit sequence was interrupted by a Lap 337 caution for light rain, which shuffled the field and left just eight cars on the lead lap. Bell and Austin Dillon hadn’t pitted when the yellow flew, and Elliott—who had just pitted—ducked back in again.
With a shortened field, Hamlin inherited the lead and battled Bell in a tense standoff. Bell hounded him with repeated dive-bombs, but Hamlin defended every line with surgical precision.
Then, with 17 laps to go, disaster struck: Ross Chastain crashed, and rain returned, triggering a red flag.
NASCAR Overtime: Madness Unleashed
After over an hour delay, the race resumed with a packed field and high tension. On the restart:
- Bell spun from 2nd, collecting Noah Gragson and William Byron
- Briscoe, on fresh tires, surged into 2nd
- A crash involving Ryan Preece and Zane Smith forced another overtime
Final Restart – Overtime No. 2:
Hamlin and Briscoe rubbed fenders through Turns 1 and 2. Briscoe bobbled on the inside line, giving Hamlin just enough to clear. With one lap to go, Hamlin pulled away to seal the win.
Top 10 Results – Dover Motor Speedway
- Denny Hamlin
- Chase Briscoe
- Alex Bowman
- Kyle Larson
- Ty Gibbs
- Chase Elliott
- Bubba Wallace
- Ryan Blaney
- Chris Buescher
- Brad Keselowski
Notable Incidents and Surprises
- Christopher Bell, dominant for much of the day, finished 18th after spinning from 2nd in the closing laps.
- William Byron, a preseason title favorite, was collected in Bell’s spin and finished 32nd.
- Ross Chastain triggered the red flag and finished 33rd.
- Noah Gragson had a promising run derailed in the overtime crash.
Dover Delivers Chaos and Clarity
Hamlin’s win brings momentum heading into the summer stretch of the NASCAR Cup Series season. With track position, tire strategy, and sheer nerve defining the race’s final moments, Dover once again proved it’s not called the Monster Mile for nothing.
From rain delays to redemption stories, the 2025 Dover showdown had it all — and Denny Hamlin walks away as the master of the mayhem.
