Hamlin outmaneuvered Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe with 25 laps to go. The 44-year-old, who finished runner-up in two previous races at this track, held the lead and broke through for his first triumph at Gateway, delivering Toyota's 200th Cup Series race win.

“It's super special because they’ve been such a big partner of Joe Gibbs Racing for such a long time,” Hamlin said. “I’ve got Toyota running through my blood both top and bottom.”

Hamlin started on pole and led the first six laps before Larson took command. A late caution in stage 1 shuffled the field, vaulting Briscoe past Hamlin and Larson for a fifth stage win of 2025.

“You can either get on the bandwagon or you can get run over by it,” Hamlin said to the sold-out crowd. At five wins, this is Hamlin’s winningest season since 2020, when he won seven times.

Sunday also marked Hamlin’s 59th career Cup win. With eight races remaining in 2025, the Chesterfield, Virginia driver sits one away from Kevin Harvick and tenth on the all-time NASCAR wins list.

“The next few wins, knock on wood, if I can get some, are going to be very special for me,” Hamlin said. 

With 56 trophies, Hamlin tied Kyle Busch for the most all-time wins with Toyota.

On Saturday, Hamlin claimed pole position, becoming the third-oldest driver to win consecutive poles behind Mark Martin and Bill Elliott. Hamlin’s also now scored the most playoff points.

“We’re going to need ’em,” Hamlin said in reference to points that aid in his quest for a first title. “It’s just we haven’t won that stupid, freaking last race in the season that crowns the champion.”

Defending champion Joey Logano challenged Hamlin midway through the final stage but lost touch late. Logano said he couldn’t launch during the final restart and lost balance of his car.

“Just got to be a little faster,” Logano said of a fourth-place result. Logano moves from three points outside the top-12 in the playoffs to up 21 entering 500 miles at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Briscoe’s Southern 500-winning No. 19 team was fast, yet struggled with the left rear in the pits. Crew chief James Small gambled in stage 3, calling Briscoe to the pits early. The move paid off.

“James [Small] did an amazing job,” Briscoe said after finishing second. “A year ago, you would have told me I would have been disappointed with second I would have told you, you're crazy.”

Briscoe said he “would have loved to obviously battle up there and … try to beat everybody's favorite driver for Toyota's 200th win, but was just at a tire deficit there.” 

Bubba Wallace flashed winning speed again as he led the second-most laps, pacing the field for 73 of 240 laps. Then, with 85 to go, the car locked in gear on a restart and cost Wallace position.

Wallace finished ninth with the third most points, including a win in stage 2, to exit Illinois fourth on the playoff grid. The 23XI driver begins Bristol with a 50-point buffer to the cutline.

Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney, a pair of previous champions, tangled with seven laps left in the second stage. Larson washed up into Blaney between turns 3 and 4, sending Blaney for a spin.

“[Larson] just said he made a mistake, and that's fine,” Blaney said post-race. “I know he most likely didn't mean to do it, but it happened anyway, and so that's just one I’ve got to remember.”

As for Larson, he took full responsibility for the incident and spoke with Blaney immediately afterward. 

“I just told him I messed up,” Larson said. “All on me, but wasn't intentional at all.”

Larson enters Bristol as the highest driver without a win, 60 points above the cutoff, while Blaney is up by 42. William Byron, Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell are each at least 30 points safe.

Chase Elliott came home third after starting from the 19th position. The 38 points scored were much needed for the driver of the Napa Chevrolet, as Elliott improved to ninth in the standings.

The playoff struggles for Josh Berry and Alex Bowman continued in race two. Berry wound up with a DNF after contact from Elliott in Stage 1, whilst Bowman finished 26th with pit road woes.

Next up, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol. The Last Great Coliseum is poised for 500 laps of high-banked short track action live on USA at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 13.