Denny Hamlin holds off Martin Truex Jr to win Food City 500 at Bristol

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Denny Hamlin battled against Martin Truex Jr. for the lead in the final 50 laps of the Food City 500, and in the end, he guided the No. 11 to Victory Lane at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Truex had the lead late in the race, but as the two drove around lapped traffic, Hamlin got it back. Truex was on Hamlin’s tail with about four laps left. However, Truex got stuck trying to go around Justin Haley and was never able to get back on pace.

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Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Express Oil Change Toyota, waves to fans during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17, 2024, in Bristol, Tennessee. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

It was Hamlin’s first win since the Bristol night race last season. He’s won four times at Bristol. It’s the 52nd win of Hamlin’s career.

The fans’ reaction to Hamlin’s win was a bit mixed. Hamlin doesn’t exactly hear a ton of cheers – as evidenced by his "I just beat your favorite driver" speech over the summer.

Tire management was the name of the game for the drivers at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. Several cautions in the first two stages forced some drivers to go through their sets of tires. Many races experienced extreme tire wear – so much so that NASCAR allowed teams to carry an extra set during the race.

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Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, and Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 Leidos Toyota, race during the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17,