Hamlin Holds Off Elliott's Late Charge to Win in Vegas

Denny Hamlin managed the gap to Chase Elliott in the closing laps to secure the victory.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 1:29am

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Denny Hamlin held off a hard-charging Chase Elliott in the closing laps of Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to claim the victory. Elliott was able to close the gap to under a second at one point, but Hamlin was able to maintain his lead by managing the gap and utilizing lapped traffic to his advantage.

Why it matters

This was an important win for Hamlin, who has struggled at times this season. The victory helps solidify his position in the playoff standings, while Elliott's strong run keeps him firmly in contention as well. The battle between the two veteran drivers provided an exciting finish to the race.

The details

Hamlin was able to maintain his lead throughout the final stage, but Elliott steadily closed the gap in the closing laps. At one point, Elliott got within 0.5 seconds of Hamlin, but the veteran driver was able to hold him off by managing the gap and utilizing lapped traffic. Hamlin said he felt he had similar speed to Elliott if he had to push harder, but he was able to conserve his tires and bring home the win.

  • Hamlin held off Elliott's late charge to win the race on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • With two laps to go, Elliott was able to close the gap to Hamlin significantly, making it an exciting finish.

The players

Denny Hamlin

A veteran NASCAR driver who drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin has won multiple races throughout his career and is a perennial playoff contender.

Chase Elliott

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, who drives the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Elliott is considered one of the top young talents in the sport.

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What they’re saying

“What I feel comfortable with is a one-second lead with at least one lap car in between us, because I know that one lap car is gonna deviate or slow their lap time at least a half a second. He's gonna get closer to the lap car, it's gonna slow down. He's gonna have to pass them, it's gonna slow his lap time down.”

— Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver (Actions Detrimental)

“It was definitely better there towards the end than we had started the run. I thought there might be an opportunity. I knew that he was starting to get tight there at the end of runs.”

— Chase Elliott, NASCAR Driver (on3.com)

What’s next

The next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the event at Phoenix Raceway on March 30, 2026.

The takeaway

This hard-fought battle between two of NASCAR's top drivers showcased the competitive nature of the sport and the importance of managing tires and traffic in the closing laps to secure a victory.