It’s no rare sight to spot Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota running up front on Sundays. In fact, Hamlin has led laps at every race dating back to the 2023 Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — that’s 16 consecutive races leading at least one lap. Consistency has proven to be king in stock-car racing, and Hamlin joins a short list of the sport’s elite drivers who have amassed lengthy streaks.
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Hamlin recently tied Lee Petty for 12th on the all-time wins list and is now one off from tying Rusty Wallace. He continues to rack up consecutive races with laps led, and yet again, he finds himself in the company of legends who have left an indelible mark on the sport — Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Cale Yarborough.
Leading laps isn’t just about speed. It’s a mix of a driver’s skill, team strategy and plenty of knowledge on how to handle the ever-changing race conditions. Hamlin has been a force on all tracks, leaving his competitors in the rearview mirror whether it’s a short-track showdown or a high-speed battle on a superspeedway or intermediate course.
What sets Hamlin apart from the current field of drivers is his ability to consistently find his way to the front of the pack. Currently, his 606 laps led in 2024 ranks second among active drivers. Through 12 races, he’s already spent 2,680 laps running in the top 10 (first) and 1,880 laps running in the top five (second). Plus, his season average running position is up to a series-best 7.8 after Kansas. Meaning that more often than not, Hamlin has routinely found ways to maintain a strong position throughout races, willing to fend off challenges from rival drivers and overcome obstacles that come his way.
With the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on tap this Sunday (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio), it wouldn’t be a shock to see Hamlin extend the streak to 17. He’s a four-time winner at the track “Too Tough to Tame” and has led laps in 17 of 23 races at Darlington, not to mention he swept the first two stages there last September in the Southern 500. As he continues to rewrite the record books one lap at a time, there’s no telling how far Hamlin can go.
| Driver | Steak Start | Streak End | Streak Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Allison | Sept., 6 1971 at Darlington Raceway | Oct. 22, 1972 at Rockingham Speedway | 39 |
| Cale Yarborough | Feb. 29, 1976 at Rockingham Speedway | Oct. 10, 1976 at Charlotte Motor Speedway | 25 |
| Darrell Waltrip | July 11, 1981 at Nashville Fairgrounds | May 16, 1982 at Dover Motor Speedway | 25 |
| Cale Yarborough | June 12, 1977 at Riverside International Speedway | March 19, 1978 at Atlanta Motor Speedway | 22 |
| Richard Petty | June 4, 1972 at Dover Motor Speedway | Feb. 25, 1973 at Richmond Raceway | 22 |
| Dale Earnhardt | Aug. 17, 1986 at Michigan International Speedway | May 3, 1987 at Talladega Superspeedway | 20 |
| Dale Earnhardt | June 28, 1987 at Michigan International Speedway | March, 20 1988 at Atlanta Motor Speedway | 20 |
| Jeff Gordon | May 28, 1995 at Charlotte Motor Speedway | Oct. 22, 1995 at Rockingham Speedway | 19 |
| David Pearson | June 1, 1969 at Macon Speedway | Aug. 21, 1969 at South Boston Speedway | 17 |
| Geoff Bodine | May 18, 1986 at Dover Motor Speedway | Oct. 5, 1986 at Charlotte Motor Speedway | 17 |
| Kyle Busch | July 8, 2017 at Kentucky Speedway | Nov. 5, 2017 at Texas Motor Speedway | 17 |
| Richard Petty | May 11, 1974 at Nashville Fairgrounds | Sept. 22, 1974 at North Wilkesboro Speedway | 16 |
| Cale Yarborough | April 9, 1978 at Darlington Raceway | Sept. 4, 1978 at Darlington Raceway | 16 |
| Darell Waltrip | July 4, 1980 at Daytona International Speedway | Jan. 11, 1981 at Riverside International Speedway | 16 |
| Denny Hamlin | Oct. 15, 2023 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway | May, 5, 2024 Kansas Speedway (still active) | 16 |