Why Denny Hamlin stands as Toyota’s only Las Vegas success story in recent years

Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series field into the Round of 8 as the top seed, just eight points above the elimination line. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver remains Toyota’s best hope as the Playoffs move to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a track that has rarely been kind to the manufacturer in recent years.

Toyota’s struggles at Las Vegas are well-documented. Since the South Point 400 debuted in 2018 as the new fall race on the 1.5-mile intermediate, wins at the venue have largely gone to Fords. Joey Logano triumphed in last year’s playoff race, while Josh Berry took the checkered flag in the summer event earlier this year for Wood Brothers Racing.

Out of Toyota’s five total wins at the Nevada circuit, four came from Joe Gibbs Racing and one from the now-defunct Furniture Row Racing. Only one of those victories has arrived in the past five seasons - Hamlin’s 2021 triumph that remains Toyota’s most recent success there.

Despite that record, Denny Hamlin stands out at the track. In 27 races at Las Vegas, the No. 11 JGR Toyota has a 12.8 average finish with 14 top-10s. He has led 412 laps, the third most in the current Cup field. Toyota, meanwhile, is winless on all six 1.5-mile ovals this year, which puts Hamlin at a disadvantage. The Vegas summer race saw him finish 25th earlier this year.

Denny Hamlin (11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) in the Pennzoil 400. Source: Getty

Talladega and Martinsville are the final two races of the Round, before the Championship 4 is set. That makes Sunday a crucial day for Denny Hamlin and for Toyota.

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Denny Hamlin leads JGR into the Playoffs Round of 8: "I like our chances"

Christopher Bell (L) and Denny Hamlin at Sonoma Raceway. Source: Getty

Denny Hamlin arrives at Las Vegas as the No. 1 seed, but the gap to the cutline is just 8. He remains the winningest driver without a title, with 59 career victories. Winning a first championship has eluded him, but he says he is searching for a 60th race victory over titles. Speaking after the race, he said:

"I like our chances. We got to go to Vegas, do some work. So, I'm looking forward to it. Talladega, nervous about it? Of course. So is everybody. It is what it is. If we don't make it, we don't make it. I would love to get 60 this year. I can tell you that," he said via Actions Detrimental (1:12:50 onwards)

After Las Vegas, the series heads to the unpredictability of Talladega, which can reshape the standings quickly. As the smallest top-seed cushion in playoff history shows, there’s little room for error.

Among his teammates, Christopher Bell brings momentum, with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Las Vegas playoff race in 2023 and 2024, and five straight top-10s this postseason, the longest active streak in the field. Chase Briscoe, the team’s newest playoff entrant, has an average finish of 22.1 at the venue, with just one top-five in nine starts, underscoring how much of Toyota’s hopes depend on Denny Hamlin’s experience.