Hamlin Finishes 16th After Las Vegas Spin

Denny Hamlin started the South Point 400 from pole position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway but finished 16th after spinning and encountering further problems, while Kyle Larson placed second and extended his championship lead, according to race coverage and Hamlin’s account. Hamlin had qualified first with a lap of 28.910 seconds at 186.787 mph, leading a Toyota sweep of the top five starting positions. The sweep was reported as only the second time Toyota had taken the first five spots in its 20 Cup Series seasons. Larson qualified sixth. Hamlin led the race’s first 39 laps, but after a pit stop dropped him outside the top five, he worked to regain track position. Hamlin said he went to the high groove in Turns 3 and 4, encountered marbles on the track and spun. He said the incident damaged the car and left it handling differently. The spin cost him track position and stage points, according to race coverage. Hamlin did not score stage points overall. A later loss of fuel pressure also contributed to Hamlin’s difficult race, he said, costing him about a dozen positions. He said he did not know what caused the issue. Hamlin finished 16th, while Larson came in second.