Overview
- Hamlin’s Las Vegas victory was his 60th Cup win, tying Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time list and securing an automatic berth in the Championship 4.
- He surged from a ninth-place restart and took the lead with four laps remaining, then held off Kyle Larson to seal the South Point 400.
- Hamlin described being overcome with emotion over the final laps, citing family factors and his father’s health as central to the win’s meaning.
- He said he stayed awake for roughly 42 hours celebrating in Las Vegas before marking the moment with his children at home.
- Recent playoff flashpoints involving Hamlin have drawn heightened NASCAR scrutiny of late-race conduct, though no penalties have been reported from the Las Vegas finish.