Denny Hamlin Loses NASCAR Cup Points Lead to Kyle Larson After Bristol

Kyle Larson has taken over the NASCAR Cup points lead following the race at Bristol, becoming just the third different driver to lead the standings this season. Larson currently holds a one-point advantage over Denny Hamlin, while Bristol race winner Joey Logano sits in third place, 16 points behind. Reddick had previously led the championship from Race #1 through Race #17, before Hamlin held the top spot from Race #18 through Race #28.

Hamlin, who took the points lead at Sonoma on June 28 and once built a triple-digit points lead before the Chase reset, saw his initial 25-point margin shrink through Darlington and Gateway before being completely erased at Bristol. The driver of the No. 11 car is experiencing his longest stretch of the season without a top-five finish, recording finishes of 18th at the Southern 500 following contact with Michael McDowell, ninth at Gateway, and eighth at Bristol. In contrast, Larson opened the Chase with three consecutive top-five finishes.

Reflecting on the Bristol race, Hamlin stated that his team simply needs to run better. He noted that his National Debt Relief Toyota felt like a winning car early in the first stage, but losing track position after taking stage points, along with track changes and a caution period, impacted his overall performance.

Despite losing the lead, Hamlin now heads to three consecutive intermediate tracks—Kansas, Las Vegas, and Charlotte—where he previously earned top-five finishes, led numerous laps, and won in Las Vegas earlier this season. Larson acknowledged that these upcoming venues are strong for Toyotas and that the standings could easily shift in the coming weeks, emphasizing the need to stay consistent and prepared.