Hamlin “Beats Your Favorite Driver” To Win ‘Clash’
We would hear the most famous word in racing, “Gentleman, start your engines”, for the first time in 2024. We would hear it a day early as NASCAR would annouce that the ‘Busch Clash at The Coliseum’ would start early due to the tereential downpour of rain forcasted for Los Angeles this weekend. We would start early but get incredible action as the night unfolded.
With the events being moved up, we would see practice, last chance qualifying, and the exhibition race all in one night. As 33 drivers would take their practice laps only 23 would make the Clash. We would get the field set after some fast times on the quarter mile track. Denny Hamlin would take the pole position. Behind Hamlin, we woud see Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs, Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, and Justin Haley round out the top 10.
Hamlin would start the race fast as he would lead 58 laps early. Gibbs, grandson of car owner, Joe Gibbs, would take the lead and control a large portion of the 150 lap ace. Gibbs would lead 84 laps on the night before a late race caution would cause him to finish 18th. Logano would lead 8 laps late before Hamlin would take over as the race neared its end.
This would cause a overtime of 2 laps and a top 5 of Hamlin, Busch, Blaney, Logano, and Wallace ‘CLASH’ for the win! The final two aps would become aggressive and intense as Hamlin would once again show the speed of his Sports Clips Haircuts Toyota as Busch and Ryan Blaney would battle for 2nd and third.
Hamlin would cross the finish line for his 4th win of this race in his career. This would be the forst race won not taking place in Daytona for Hamlin as he now sits in second place in NASCAR history, behind Dale Earnhardt who won 6 in his career. This also makes the 5th time on history a driver has won the pole position or first starting position and win the race. We would see Darrell Waltrip, in 1981, Bill Elliott, in 1987, Ken Schrader, in 1989, and now Denny Hamlin in 2014 and now 2024.
For car owner, Joe Gibbs, this has become almost habit for one of his cars to win this race. In 2023, we would see Martin Truex Jr win which would continue the all time record of 11 wins for Gibbs. Hamlin, the season veteran, would extend the record tonight as Gibbs would win his 12th as a owner.
Could this be the year of Hamlin? Could we see Denny get the Championship? That remais to be seen but what we do know is he “Beat your favorite driver again.” and in a big way!
As the NASCAR season rolls on we will now head to Daytona, Florida and the Daytona 500 on February 18th. With Hamlin starting 2024 on the wining side we look for him to be a favorite in Florida. The NASCAR season is here!
