Denny Hamlin showed both grit and resilience at the Cook Out Southern 500 in Darlington. After nabbing the pole with a blistering 171.381 mph lap, his second at the track this year and the 45th of his career, he had big plans for the night.

But a sluggish pit stop midway through cost him ground, and he had to claw back through the madness to finish a solid seventh, keeping his playoff hopes intact without any major drama. It was a strategic run, 12 seconds behind winner Chase Briscoe, who led 309 laps and locked in his Round of 12 spot with back-to-back Southern 500 triumphs. Hamlin’s calm execution under pressure was impressive, especially with the playoffs just getting started.

That performance was even more commendable considering the off-track storm Hamlin’s been weathering. The ongo

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