Last weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers tackled the Darlington Raceway. This track has developed a reputation for itself and is known as the ‘Track Too Tough to Tame’. So when the race kicked off, every Crew Chief knew that they had their work cut out for them.

In the buildup to the race, several Crew Chiefs and team personnel sent encouraging messages to the drivers. Among them, team owner Richard Childress told Austin Dillon, “You know how to win.”

When the race got underway, poor old Denny Hamlin encountered some issues. Other drivers like Joey Logano also reported some issues, while Ryan Newman’s spotter noticed that Alex Bowman’s #48 car was smoking in the corners.

In the end, Martin Truex Jr won the race, ahead of Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch. With that, he inched closer to the championship lead.

However, with Denny Hamlin finishing in 5th place, the damage was minimized. Despite this, time is running out for poor old Hamlin.

What is the next race in the NASCAR Cup Series?

This weekend, the NASCAR fraternity visits the Dover International Speedway for the next race. Once again, Hamlin will try to gun for his first win of the season.

Meanwhile, Truex Jr will try any rack up even more wins in order to leapfrog his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate.

However, he will have to keep a wary eye out for any other candidates to snatch the win from his grasp. The Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske drivers are nothing to sniff at. Most of them have already notched a win this season, and no one can put it past them to try to aim for more.

Additionally, there is also a chance that NASCAR could roll the dice and try to produce a different winner yet again. This season has already given rise to 10 different winners.

With so many more races left in the current year, there is a chance that either of these 10 could pick up a second win or more and join the party.

READ MORE: ‘He’s One of the Very Best’ – Toyota Racing Boss Rooting for NASCAR Cup Title Contender Martin Truex Jr.