Denny Hamlin 'didn't have a chance' to get around Chase Briscoe in closing laps at Pocono

LONG POND, Pennsylvania — On Sunday evening, the master of Pocono Raceway found himself on the receiving end of a masterful performance. 

Denny Hamlin was right in the tire tracks of Chase Briscoe for the final 30 laps of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono, but was unable to maneuver around his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate despite Briscoe having to save fuel. 

"Just too aero-tight," Hamlin said on pit road after the race. "Just not enough fall-off in the tires to make it to where handling was a big issue. It was all about aerodynamics. I tried the best I could to make runs at him. As soon as I'd get within one or two car lengths, it would heat the tires up and I couldn't make a move on him." 

Despite Briscoe being short on fuel at the time of the race's final restart on Lap 131, he was able to balance holding off Hamlin with fuel saving. 

"I thought he'd run out of gas, to be honest," Hamlin said. "There was no moment where I was side-by-side with him." 

A lack of opportunity forced Hamlin to settle for a runner-up finish in his return to Cup Series action after he missed the June 15 race in Mexico City. 

With 17 races complete in the 2025 season, Hamlin sits third in the Cup Series standings, 78 points behind leader William Byron.