North Wilkesboro sees Joey Logano win, Denny Hamlin extends points lead

By Olivia Hughes — 20 July 2026 — 4 min read

Joey Logano delivered a dominant performance at North Wilkesboro Speedway, leading 323 of 450 laps to secure his first win of the season in the Window World 450 NASCAR Cup Series race. Logano crossed the finish line 0.859 seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin. This event marked the first points-paying Cup race at North Wilkesboro in nearly 30 years.

Following the race, Hamlin approached Logano, offering congratulations and a handshake. Hamlin commented on Logano’s performance, stating, “Man, Joey was so good tonight. You just have to compliment him on a great day and a great drive. It was a wildly impressive drive. He maneuvered through traffic really well and did everything we’ve come to expect Joey to do.”

Hamlin’s Post-Race Gesture

The interaction between Logano and Hamlin was unexpected by many in the garage area, given their history of on-track rivalries. Their past encounters on short tracks have been particularly contentious.

One notable incident occurred at Bristol in 2013, where Hamlin spun Logano on Lap 348, leading to a confrontation on pit road and a crew brawl. Hamlin later referred to Logano as a “little child” on social media.

A week later at Fontana, the two drivers collided on the final lap, resulting in Hamlin fracturing a vertebra in his lower back. Logano expressed no remorse at the time, stating he raced Hamlin in kind.

In 2019 at Martinsville, Hamlin again put Logano into the wall. A post-race discussion escalated into Logano shoving Hamlin, leading to another pit road brawl. Logano’s crew chief was suspended for his involvement, and Hamlin reportedly mocked Logano in a post-race interview.

Hamlin’s gesture at North Wilkesboro suggests a shift in their long-standing rivalry. His current position in the 2026 season may have contributed to this change. Hamlin had already secured his spot in the Chase the previous week at EchoPark Speedway, entering North Wilkesboro with four wins for the season.

During the Window World 450, Hamlin’s championship rival, Tyler Reddick, was involved in a mid-race pit road collision with Alex Bowman, which resulted in a broken toe-link and a 30th-place finish for Reddick.

Hamlin’s performance at North Wilkesboro further extended his points lead over Reddick to 68. He currently holds 842 points with five regular season races remaining. Hamlin expressed satisfaction with his day, noting a significant improvement from his performance at the track a year prior. He described the second-place finish as a positive outcome, especially given his secure playoff spot and commanding lead.

Race Results at North Wilkesboro

The Window World 450 was a significant event, marking the return of a points-paying Cup Series race to North Wilkesboro Speedway after a considerable absence. Logano’s victory propelled him back into the top 16 of the points standings.

The unofficial results for the July 19, 2026, race at North Wilkesboro Speedway are as follows:

• Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
• Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
• Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
• Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
• Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
• Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
• Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford (-1)
• Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford (-1)
• Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (-1)
• Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford (-1)
• Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (-2)
• William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-2)
• Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (-2)
• Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford (-2)
• Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-2)
• Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (-2)
• Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-3)
• Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota (-3)
• Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (-3)
• Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford (-3)
• Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (-3)
• Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford (-3)
• Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (-4)
• Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (-4)
• Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford (-4)
• Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-4)
• Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (-4)
• Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet (-4)
• Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet (-4)
• Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota (-5)
• John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota (-5)
• Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet (-7)
• Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet (-8)
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet (-8)
• Chad Finchum, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford (OUT)
• Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford (OUT, crash)
• AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (OUT, steering)

The race took place on July 19, 2026.

Source: sports.yahoo.com