Strategy helps Denny Hamlin win rain-shortened race at Darlington

NASCAR continued their season Wednesday night battling against mother nature at Darlington Raceway. Mother Nature wiped out the Xfinity Series race Tuesday night, and the Cup Series was looking to get this race in before heading to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night.

The start of the race was a bit confusing to racing fans as the starting lineup was reversed, meaning Kevin Harvick, who won on Sunday, started twentieth while Ryan Preece, who finished twentieth, was the pole sitter. Preece and Ty Dillon led the field to the green flag, and the race was underway. The first caution came at lap three when John Hunter Nemechek got into the turn two wall. Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher, Michael McDowell, and Corey LaJoie made pit stops for four tires.

Ty Dillon led the field back to the green flag and would lose the lead to Joey Logano at lap nine. John Hunter Nemechek would spin in the backstretch to bring out the caution once again at lap eleven. NASCAR waved the competition caution at lap twenty-six. Bubba Wallace stayed out after pitting at lap thirteen, and Clint Bowyer beat everyone out of pit lane. When the raced resumed, Clint Bowyer passed Wallace to take the lead. Bowyer would go on to win stage one.

Bowyer would lead the field to start stage two. A lap into stage two, Ryan Preece engine gave out and would be the first car out of the race. Two laps later at lap seventy-two, Chris Buescher spun after making contact with Michael McDowell to bring out the caution.

Chris Buescher goes around! Caution is out. pic.twitter.com/BVBSqlCVio — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 21, 2020

Bowyer led the field to the restart on lap seventy-seven. The caution would come out again as Ryan Blaney hit the wall. Bowyer would pit, relinquishing the lead to Martin Truex Jr. Truex led the field back to the green flag and would lead sixteen laps until Cole Custer hit the wall bringing out the seventh caution of the race. Everyone pitted, and Clint Bowyer resumed the lead. Bowyer led the field back to the green on lap 113 and would go on to win stage two.

Ryan Newman would stay out while others pitted and took over the lead at lap 128. He led the field back to green, only for Erik Jones to pass him to take the lead. Newman would have a tire rub as Chase Elliot took second from Newman. Elliot would then pass Jones to take the lead on lap 161. As the rain began to get closer to the racetrack, many teams were beginning to head to pit road as Chase Elliot went to pit road, and Brad Keselowski took the lead. The caution would come out again for the eighth time when Matt Kenseth spun on lap 179. Chase Elliot resumed the lead after Keselowski and Brennan Poole both pitted.

The rain was beginning to close in, and as the raced resumed, both Elliot and Keselowski were battling for first place that eventually went to Elliot. Clint Bowyer ended up with a flat tire and spun to bring out the ninth caution of the race.

Two stage wins, but @TooToughToTame gets the last laugh with @ClintBowyer. pic.twitter.com/nfcZZNgrwb — NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 21, 2020

Elliot pitted, but Denny Hamlin, Brennan Poole, Matt DiBenedetto took a gamble and stayed out, Poole would eventually pit a lap later. Hamlin led the field to the green flag on lap 200, but an incident between Kyle Busch and Chase Elliot would bring the tenth and final caution of the race.

NOT CLEAR!@KyleBusch turns @chaseelliott! pic.twitter.com/Hk8tA92UAA — NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 21, 2020

Rain began to fall heavily, and NASCAR called the race shortly after, and Hamlin was declared the winner. Unfortunately for one spectator, he was too late to see the race as a fox entered the raceway.

A NASCAR fox. On FOX: NASCAR. We promise this wasn't planned.pic.twitter.com/0Lo7XG4MN1 — FOX Sports (@FOXSports) May 21, 2020

There were ten cautions in the race with seventeen lead changes. The top ten finishers were Hamlin, Kyle Busch in second, Kevin Harvick third, Brad Keselowski fourth, Erik Jones fifth, Joey Logano sixth, Aric Almirola seventh, Jimmie Johnson eighth, Matt DiBenedetto ninth, and Martin Truex Jr. in tenth.

The Cup Series will now head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday at 6 pm on FOX.

#NASCARCup