Denny Hamlin Wins Martinsville, Byron maintains P1 in GFT AI Driver Rankings

30 March 2025
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

MARTINSVILLE, VA — Denny Hamlin, driver of the №11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota won Sunday’s Cook Out 400, leading over half of the 400 laps. In fact, Hamlin led 274 of of the last 275 laps after the final restart on Lap 326. Hamlin pulled away toward the end of the final 75-lap green-flag run and beat his JGR teammate Christopher Bell by a commanding 4.617 seconds.

The victory was Hamlin’s sixth at Martinsville, most among full-time active drivers, but his first at Martinsville since 2015.

Denny Hamlin (№11) battled Bubba Wallace (№23) for the top spot during Sunday’s Cup Series race at Martinsville. (Image Credit: Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images)

Denny Hamlin celebrates his Cup Series win at Martinsville with his Joe Gibbs Racing team. (Image Credit: Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images)

For Hamlin, it was his first win of the season and the 55th of his career, tying him with Rusty Wallace for 11th on the overall career victory list.

UPDATED GFT NASCAR AI DRIVER RANKINGS

Go Full Throttle NASCAR Cup Series AI Driver Rankings following the Cook Out 400 on March 30, 2025 at Martinsville Speedway (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

Byron, Larson, and Logano hold the top 3 spots

The big movers in the GFT NASCAR AI Rankings after Martinsville were…

MOVING UP: Chase Briscoe +8 to P16 as his early season strugles are behind him and he gets another top 10 finish.

MOVING DOWN: Josh Berry and Erik Jones both fell down the rankings, Berry -3 with a 32nd place finish and Jones -5 to P24 with the disqualification for rules infraction (weight) discovered in post race inspection.

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