The recent partnership between Denny Hamlin, a celebrated Joe Gibbs Racing driver, and Progressive, a $159 billion insurance giant, is making waves in the racing world. Hamlin’s performance at the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway was a spectacle, solidifying the significance of this union.
Hamlin has kicked off 2025 in fine form, already securing three top-ten finishes. However, until the recent race in Homestead-Miami, he hadn’t won a stage since the playoff race held there last October. The South Florida track, this past weekend, saw Hamlin break this jinx, alternating between strong finishes and average runs throughout the season.
In recent weeks, Hamlin and his No. 11 JGR team have had their fair share of challenges. Phoenix Raceway witnessed Hamlin losing to teammate Christopher Bell by a mere 0.049-second gap. A pit road speeding penalty at Las Vegas dealt another blow to Hamlin’s performance. With his record showing three top-10s intermixed with three finishes outside the top 20, Hamlin was banking on Homestead-Miami Speedway, a track where he holds three wins and 7 top-five finishes.
Hamlin, sponsored by Progressive, started the race in 23rd place. Despite this, he managed to gradually climb up the ranks. By lap 104, Hamlin had overtaken Alex Bowman for second place, leading to an intense competition in the closing laps of stage 2. Despite race leader Ryan Blaney being stalled by lap traffic, Hamlin managed to clinch the stage win.
However, Hamlin couldn’t maintain his lead, falling back as Kyle Larson took over post-stage 2. Although he managed to stay within the top five till the end, finishing fifth, Hamlin conceded the need for improvement. He emphasized the need to fine-tune aspects of his performance to secure the speed necessary to win.
Aside from his individual performance, Hamlin also expressed satisfaction as a team owner, with both the 23XI Racing drivers securing top-ten finishes. Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman may have led the race, but close behind were a host of Toyota drivers, including Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, and Hamlin himself.
No. 23 23XI Racing driver, Bubba Wallace, put on an impressive performance, starting in 9th place and securing a top-five finish. Despite a battle with race leader Kyle Larson and later Alex Bowman, Wallace managed to finish 3rd. This marked a significant improvement for Wallace, who had previously had a string of 20, 28, and 29 finishes in his last three races.
This performance by Wallace is illustrative of 23XI Racing’s ongoing strategy development. Despite the results, Wallace has shown consistent speed, leading laps at Daytona, COTA, and Las Vegas. His stage points accrual this season, barring Phoenix, further attest to his potential.
As 23XI Racing co-owner, Hamlin can enjoy the dual satisfaction of his team’s and his personal successes at Homestead-Miami. As the Toyota group heads into future races, all eyes will be on their performance.