Denny Hamlin finishes third in 700th NASCAR start 

In his 700th NASCAR Cup Series start, Denny Hamlin looked just as sharp as he did in his NASCAR debut two decades ago. 

With Hamlin's fiancée expecting the couple's third child, it wasn't known until shortly before the race whether or not Hamlin would start the race, or if he would run the full distance after he qualified second on Saturday. 

Despite all of the extenuating circumstances, Hamlin, 44, was as steady as ever, winning Stage 1 before finishing third in Stage 2. 

Hamlin didn't quite have the car to challenge race winner Ryan Blaney in Stage 3, but the veteran driver still brought home a solid third-place finish that bumps him up to fourth in the regular-season standings. 

It wasn't just personal circumstances that surrounded Hamlin's night, however. A couple of major malfunctions inside the cockpit, which included a malfunction with his drinking system and the hose that brings fresh air into his helmet, made Hamlin's night relatively uncomfortable. 

"I got hot," Hamlin told Prime Video. "I had the visor up to get a little air in. Just couldn't run with the No. 12 there in the super long run."

Hamlin might not have been able to snag his third win of 2025, but in start No. 700, he made it clear that he's still a force to be reckoned with.