Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts after Denny Hamlin becomes the first NASCAR driver to clinch a major feat in 2025: “Interesting for sure”

NASCAR Xfinity: NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Dover - Source: Imagn
NASCAR Xfinity Series owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on from pit road during the BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway- Source: Imagn

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his reaction to Denny Hamlin’s dramatic win at Dover Motor Speedway on social media. The post came shortly after Hamlin clinched a major feat, his fourth win of the 2025 NASCAR season. He is the first driver to have attained 4 race wins this season.

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Hamlin’s win at Dover wasn’t handed to him easily. After a one-hour rain delay with just 13 laps remaining, NASCAR dried the soaked concrete and set up a final sprint. In the closing laps, Hamlin had to hold off teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe, both of whom were charging hard with fresher tires.

On the first restart after the rain delay, Bell spun while racing Hamlin for the lead, causing a crash that also involved William Byron and Noah Gragson. Briscoe then moved up to second and challenged Hamlin in double overtime. They made contact near the white flag, but Hamlin held on and pulled ahead to win. Addressing this race performance, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote on his X account,

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“Dover was interesting for sure. Great run to the finish. Glad Nascar gave it the best effort to see the checkered. Indy next.”
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It was also Hamlin’s 58th career Cup Series win and his second consecutive win at Dover. With four wins in the current season, Hamlin is a top contender in 2025.

Meanwhile, Briscoe finished second, followed by Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and Ty Gibbs. The rest of the top ten featured Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and Brad Keselowski.


“Absolutely miserable inside the racecar”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. warns fans about brutal heat ahead of NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover

Before the green flag waved at Dover Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to X to share just how tough Sunday’s conditions would be for drivers. The NASCAR Cup Series returned to Dover for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, but this year’s race was moved from April to July, which means heat, humidity, and serious discomfort inside the cars.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., now an analyst with Amazon and TNT, shared what it was like. He wrote,

“This race today at Dover is gonna be a hot one. Absolutely miserable inside the racecar. I do not miss this part of it. Damn it's gonna be difficult. Lucky for some of the technology we have today.”
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t exaggerating. Sunday’s race began at 2 p.m. with temperatures peaking at around 87°F. With no practice or qualifying due to Saturday’s rain, drivers went straight into race conditions on a sticky, humid track. Fans and insiders alike felt the discomfort. Jeff Gluck of The Athletic called it,

“Maybe the hottest race day of the year so far,”
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Connor Zilisch’s father also posted on X that he was sweating just from sitting still in the garage area. The heat was just one challenge. The starting lineup was set using NASCAR’s performance metric.

Chase Elliott took pole, with Chase Briscoe beside him and William Byron in fifth. Shane van Gisbergen, coming off two road course wins, started sixth. The race also had major implications for NASCAR’s in-season challenge.

Four drivers—Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, John Hunter Nemechek, and Ty Dillon—were fighting for spots in the $1 million finale at Indianapolis. Denny Hamlin, who would go on to win in double overtime fashion, began the day in 13th.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua
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