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SWEET WIN AT COCA-COLA 600 Through the years, the Charlotte Motor Speedway had been the site of heaping piles of disappointment and despair for Denny Hamlin in his efforts to capture the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s signature events. At 600 miles, it is one of the toughest and most grueling races contested on the schedule. Hamlin had flirted with success in the past, finishing second in 2012 behind Kasey Kahne, collecting a third in 2018, a pair of fourth-place finishes in 2013 and 2016, and 10 Top 10 finishes overall. In 2022, Hamlin finally nabbed a much-wanted win, making the 48 th victory of his career over the Memorial Day weekend an extra special one. The race was a marathon (more than five hours) and chaotic (a whopping 31 lead changes over the 413 laps). After a wild day of racing, it was Hamlin, who had started on the pole, nipping teammate Kyle Busch at the finish by 0.119 seconds for the long-awaited win.

Denny Hamlin won his first Coca-Cola 600 in 2022 by edging his teammate Kyle Busch.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin