NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin returns to top after milestone victory at Dover

Hamlin reassumes the Power Rankings lead after tying Lee Petty on NASCAR's all-time wins list

Apr 30, 2024 at 10:23 am ET • 8 min read

For a driver like Denny Hamlin, whose outspoken and arguably cocky attitude has earned him derision from scores of race fans, there was a moment of grace and humility that he showed at Dover when he said that he "couldn't hold Lee Petty's helmet."

With his 54th career win, Hamlin moved into a tie for 12th on NASCAR's all-time wins list with Petty, putting him in leagues with one of NASCAR's original superstars. The first generation of the famed Petty family, Lee Petty went from flipping his car in NASCAR's first race ever in 1949 to becoming the star of the sport in the 1950s, becoming the first three-time Grand National champion in NASCAR history and earning 54 wins, with his final one coming at Jacksonville on November 20, 1960 -- almost a full 20 years before Hamlin was born on Nov. 18, 1980.

Thanks to his milestone win -- his next step toward becoming one of the top 10 winningest drivers in Cup history -- Denny Hamlin has reassumed the top of the board in the CBS Sports NASCAR Power Rankings.

Here's a look at CBS Sports' updated NASCAR Power Rankings following Dover:

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