The 2024 Toyota Owners 400 marked the NASCAR Cup Series visit to Richmond Raceway in Virginia, crowning a winner for the seventh time this season. The 400-lap-long race marked the year's seventh points-paying regular season race, with Martinsville Speedway coming up, guaranteeing extensive testing of the governing body's new short-track aero package.
Joe Gibbs Racing was crowned as the team to beat going into the race on Sunday, with Denny Hamlin proving the Toyota-aligned team's speed on Sunday by crossing the checkered flag in P1.
Joey Logano and Kyle Larson rounded out the top 3 finishers as the #11 Toyota Camry XSE driver celebrated in victory lane. Hamlin's teammate Martin Truex Jr. was left with a sour taste in his mouth as the #19 driver felt a lack of respect from his teammate during the overtime restart which ultimately decided the race.
NASCAR Cup Series driver will now be seen heading to one of the sport's premier short-track events next weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Before moving on from an event that saw both wet weather as well as dry weather tires being used, here is a look at who made the most impact at Richmond Raceway, and who failed to do so.
Winners & Losers from the 2024 NASCAR Toyota Owners 400
Winner: Denny Hamlin
The driver of the #11 Toyota Camry XSE fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin managed to keep the team's dominance at Richmond Raceway alive after winning the 400-lap-long event at Richmond Raceway in overtime.
The win did not come with its own set of controversies, with teammate Martin Truex Jr. reportedly unhappy with Hamlin's final restart.
Loser: Martin Truex Jr.
Despite being in a position to win his first event of the 2024 season and seal his position in the postseason playoffs, an untimely spin by Kyle Larson who was hit from behind by Bubba Wallace caused Truex Jr. frustrated after the race.
The #19 Toyota Camry XSE driver was visibly frustrated during the final restart, also making contact with Kyle Larson as the race drew to an end.
Winner: Joey Logano
Team Penske's Joey Logano managed to snap his string of lowly finishes in the past few races this weekend at Richmond Raceway with a P2 finish during the Toyota Owners 400. Coming off an 11th-place finish last Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas, Logano can finally look forward to trying to win races this NASCAR Cup Series season.
Loser: Bubba Wallace
After running in the top 5 spots or its whereabouts during the whole event, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace failed to capitalize at the end after spinning Kyle Larson out during the race. The subsequent yellow flag pit stop saw the #23 crew fumble with a slow stop on pit road, resulting in the team's ultimate finish in P13 finish.
Winner: Chase Elliott
Hendrick Motorsports' Chase Elliott managed to bag his very first top-5 finish of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, also marking his best result so far in the year. Coming off a slump in performance ever since Elliott's injuries last year, the #9 team has been looking to regain momentum and challenge up front.
Loser: Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch's string of bad luck continues at Richmond Raceway with the RCR driver's P20 finish. The #8 Chevy driver was also the cause of a caution flag in between the events as he crashed into the outside wall of the track. Busch has not been able to crack the top 20 in his last four races this NASCAR season.