Four things we learned after a record-setting NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol

In a race that set a record for lead changes at a NASCAR short track, Denny Hamlin held off a hard-charging Martin Truex to claim his first win of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. Here's what we learned following Sunday's Food City 500:

Denny Hamlin is still one of the best in the business

While Hamlin did win the Busch Clash on Feb. 3, he hadn't been able to close out strong runs with correlating finishes so far this season, running outside the top 10 at Phoenix after looking like the dominant car early in the day. On Sunday, Hamlin closed out what had been a stellar run since the drop of the green flag with a victory that ensures the field won't take him lightly as a championship contender. 

Ty Gibbs is the future for Joe Gibbs Racing and it's blindingly bright

On a team with two aging veterans, the 21-year-old Gibbs is a glimpse into the extremely bright future of Joe Gibbs Racing. Christopher Bell is certainly a venerable championship threat, but for the third straight week, Gibbs has completely undermined any threat of the sophomore slump, finishing ninth on a day where he swept the stages and led over 100 laps. After leading 57 laps en route to a career-best third-place finish at Phoenix, Gibbs has all the momentum in the world heading to Circuit of the Americas. 

Toyota is the team to beat on short tracks

One week after Toyota absolutely whipped the competition in the Arizona desert, it did the exact same thing in the Tennessee mountains. Ty Gibbs led over 100 laps and swept the stages while Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex finished 1-2, carrying the banner for a manufacturer that has plenty of reasons to feel great heading to Circuit of the Americas – where oh-by-the-way, a Toyota driver in Tyler Reddick won last year. 

Tires are the name of the game

During a race in which Goodyear had to allow teams to use an extra set of tires than previously allotted, blown tires and air pressure levels floated around the garage more than the smell of funnel cake and popcorn. Drivers such as Kyle Busch had their days heavily impacted by tire troubles and pit strategy was debated at Bristol more than it has been in a long time. In a race filled with uncertainty, Hamlin eventually found the magic combination of saving tires and going all out and it paid off in a big way.