In a race where managing tire wear was the overriding factor, veteran Denny Hamlin mastered the strategy and scored his first victory of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season in Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The race featured a record 54 lead changes on the high-banked 0.533-mile concrete short track as tires began wearing down to the cords just 45 laps into green flag runs. The cool temperatures and different resin compound in the bottom groove contributed to the tire issues not seen in Bristol’s fall night race.

But Hamlin, drawing on his short track racing roots, deftly managed his tires and regained the lead from teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the closing laps when Truex’s tires gave up. Hamlin went on to beat Truex by over a second, with Brad Keselowski taking third.

“Once it became a tire management race, I really liked our chances,” said Hamlin after scoring his 52nd career win and 4th at Bristol. “That’s what I grew up doing in the short tracks in the Mid-Atlantic.”

Truex was disappointed to finish second after briefly leading, saying “The difference was just coming out of the pits so far behind Denny on that last run. I had to use my tires up more. The last four, five laps I was on cords.”

Only five drivers finished on the lead lap in the grueling event, with Alex Bowman 4th and Kyle Larson 5th for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson and Truex left Bristol tied for the points lead.

Hamlin led a race-high 163 laps as Joe Gibbs Racing drivers paced 383 of the 500 laps, showcasing their short track prowess. But it was tire management that proved the decisive factor on this cool Bristol day.