The first short-track race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season brought plenty of action to Martinsville Speedway, with intense battles, multiple cautions, and tire strategy playing key roles. In the end, it was Denny Hamlin who controlled the race, leading 274 of 400 laps to secure his sixth career victory at Martinsville and his first win at the track since 2015. The triumph also marked Hamlin’s 55th career win in the Cup Series.
Early Race Battles and Strategy Calls
Christopher Bell led the field to the green flag and maintained the lead early while fending off challenges from Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Larson. Battles were fierce throughout the field, with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ty Gibbs and Chase Briscoe battling for 11th as Josh Berry closed in.
Elliott quickly became a threat at the front, closing in on Bell before making a move on the inside of Turn 3 to take the lead on Lap 25. The first caution of the day came shortly after due to debris in Turn 3, identified as a hose.
Though pit stops were not required to complete the stage, most drivers opted to pit except for a few, including Josh Berry and Austin Cindric. Berry led the restart on Lap 39, but with most of the field on fresh tires, he faced a challenge holding position. With eight laps to go in Stage 1, Chris Buescher was spun down the frontstretch, bringing out another caution.
Several drivers, including Berry, pitted under caution, while Joey Logano stayed out to take the lead. Berry also lost significant time on pit road after being hit in the side by Bubba Wallace during a jammed pit road entry. Logano held onto the top spot and claimed the Stage 1 victory.
Mid-Race Drama and Strategy Adjustments
As the second stage began, Chase Elliott regained the lead, but Denny Hamlin—Martinsville’s winningest active driver—was right behind him. A caution for Burt Myers slowing on the frontstretch brought out the yellow flag once again. While most of the field pitted, Hamlin opted to stay out and took over the lead at the halfway mark of the stage.
Hamlin continued to stretch his advantage despite several incidents throughout the field. Drivers like Austin Cindric, Ty Gibbs, and Erik Jones reported issues with their cool suits, essential for keeping drivers comfortable in the hot cockpit, where temperatures can exceed 100 degrees.
As the stage wound down, Hamlin remained in control, ultimately winning Stage 2. This marked his eighth career stage win at Martinsville and pushed his laps-led total at the track to over 2,500, the most among active drivers.
Final Stage: Cautions, Contact, and Hamlin’s Commanding Victory
The final stage was marked by multiple cautions and heated tempers. Riley Herbst attempted to go three-wide with AJ Allmendinger and Austin Cindric but ended up colliding with Cindric, spinning the No. 35 Toyota in Turn 1.
Another caution came on Lap 275 when Shane van Gisbergen lost his right rear tire after a pit stop. NASCAR penalized his team with a two-lap hold and a two-crew-member suspension for next week’s race at Darlington. Meanwhile, Hamlin continued to lead, holding off challenges from Christopher Bell and Bubba Wallace.
Further chaos ensued when Ty Gibbs missed the corner slightly in Turn 1 and was hit by Tyler Reddick, spinning him around. Over the radio, an angry Gibbs could be heard saying, “Keep me away from that little (expletive) after the race.”
Noah Gragson was the next driver to spin after contact with Chris Buescher. Gragson attempted to retaliate by waiting on the backstretch and trying to hit Buescher’s car, but Buescher managed to avoid him. Another caution followed when Chase Briscoe clipped the curb in Turn 3 and spun Joey Logano.
Hamlin remained calm through each restart, and maintained his lead. With just over 75 laps remaining, the race finally saw an extended green-flag run. Hamlin stretched his lead to more than 3.5 seconds over Bell, cruising to a dominant win. The Joe Gibbs Racing duo secured a 1-2 finish, with Hamlin taking the checkered flag, Bell second and followed by Wallace and then Elliott.
Final Results – Cook Out 400 at Martinsville
- Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)
- Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)
- Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)
- Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports)
- Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)
- Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing)
- Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)
- Joey Logano (Team Penske)
- Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing)
- Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports)
Credit: MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – MARCH 30: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Progressive Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2025 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)