Old can mean so much around Hamlin, who at age 44 was the oldest winner at NASCAR’s oldest track since a 47-year-old Rusty Wallace won for the final time in his Cup career in 2004. In this case, old was a good thing. It was a return to winning.

Denny Hamlin ended an agonizing 10-year winless streak at Martinsville Speedway, holding off teammate Christopher Bell in his home state to secure a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Denny Hamlin is the "king of irrational confidence," and it paid off for him with a win in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville.