SPORTS

Hamlin Survives Dover Chaos, Elliott Eliminated Early Race

PUBLISHED May 17, 2026, 4:24 PM ET

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DOVER, Del. Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday, leading the final 30 laps after starting from the pole to secure his second All-Star victory and the $1 million prize. Hamlin finished 0.887 seconds ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe and led a race-high number of laps. DOVER, Del. The event featured multiple early crashes during the two 75-lap segments that involved 23 of 36 drivers and produced eight cautions, narrowing the final segment to 26 cars; Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain were eliminated when their cars could not be repaired and backups were not permitted, changing competition dynamics this week.

By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

NASCAR scheduled the All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, using a 36-car field and an inverted segment format.
The first 75-lap segment completed and the field was inverted as prescribed for the event.
Multiple crashes during the first two 75-lap segments produced eight cautions and involved 23 drivers.
Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain were eliminated after their cars sustained unrecoverable damage and backups were not allowed.
Denny Hamlin led the final 30 laps and won the All-Star Race, finishing 0.887 seconds ahead of Chase Briscoe.

News Intelligence

This race was a wild ride. If you're a NASCAR fan, the unexpected twists and turns may have been thrilling or disappointing, depending on your favorite driver. The elimination of Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain changed the game. Keep an eye on how this impacts the season's standings.

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Who Benefited

Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing benefited directly from the victory, securing the $1 million All-Star Race prize, enhanced team publicity, and sponsor exposure following a pole start and a 30-lap run to the finish.

Who Impacted

Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain and their teams suffered elimination when their cars were too damaged to continue and backups were not permitted, ending their All-Star Race bids prematurely and removing them from contention for the $1 million prize.

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