LOS ANGELES — Cup Series star Denny Hamlin, who wasn’t even sure he’d be healed from offseason shoulder surgery in time to compete in the Clash at the Coliseum, won the Saturday night exhibition that NASCAR hurried into a one-day show to avoid a dangerous “Pineapple Express” storm headed toward California.
The 43-year-old Hamlin, who has 51 career wins on the top circuit, started from pole position in his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota and led 59 of the 151 laps. But it was 21-year-old teammate Ty Gibbs who was in control for a large portion of the race until a late caution set up a restart with 10 laps remaining.
Hamlin got the lead on the restart and was about to win until Gibbs crashed on the last lap to send the race into overtime. Hamlin then got a jump on reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney — who needed a provisional to make the 23-car field in his Team Penske Ford — on the restart for the win.
“It’s just a great momentum boost,” said Hamlin, who will now move on to the season-opening Daytona 500, where he will seek a fourth win in “The Great American Race.”
“You know, I clean off all the trophies every January 1st in the entryway of the house, and now we get to add another one pretty quick, so pretty happy about that.”