Denny Hamlin Pads NASCAR Cup Series Points Lead After Strong Brickyard 400

Denny Hamlin didn’t leave Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the winner’s trophy.

He still left with a bigger championship lead.

Hamlin extended his advantage atop the NASCAR Cup Series standings Sunday after a fifth-place finish in the Brickyard 400, increasing his lead to 84 points over Tyler Reddick and 120 points over Ryan Blaney with just four races remaining in the regular season.

While Corey Heim claimed his second career Cup Series victory and Tyler Reddick salvaged a 10th-place finish, Hamlin quietly pieced together another efficient afternoon. He collected valuable stage points and remained in contention throughout the race, maximizing his day while several championship rivals lost ground.

Blaney’s afternoon took a turn for the worse after sustaining damage late in Stage 3, dropping him to a 26th-place finish and allowing Hamlin to further distance himself in the standings. Reddick limited the damage with a top-10 result but still watched the gap to his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate grow.

With only four races left before the Chase field is set, Hamlin has positioned himself as the clear favorite to capture the regular-season championship. The veteran has combined speed, consistency and timely stage points throughout 2026, turning what was once a tight battle into a commanding advantage.

As the series heads toward the postseason, Hamlin remains the driver everyone else is chasing.