Hamlin untouchable in Xfinity race at Richmond

Denny Hamlin dominated the ToyotaCare 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway on Friday night, leading all but two laps of the 250 laps distance on his way to the win. The victory gave Toyota its 100th win in Xfinity Series competition

"You wanted to have a perfect weekend, leading all the practices and qualifying," Hamlin said. "Just came up two laps short."

Joey Logano finished second, Regan Smith third.

"The Breyer's Chevy was really good all weekend. I don't think anyone had anything for Denny tonight," Smith said. "Proud of the effort, and we'll go to Dega."

Nothing for the No. 20

"We had nothing for him. We had a second-place Discount Tires Ford, and that's where we're at," Logano said. "Now, I know how it feels to be on the other side of the butt-whooping."

Logano led every lap of last weekend's race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Chase Elliott battled his JR Motorsports teammate, Smith, for third in the closing laps, but was unable to take the spot and aended up losing fourth to JGR developmental driver Erik Jones. Elliott wound up fifth.

The only two lap leaders in the race outside of Hamlin were Brian Scott and Elliott Sadler. 

"Not much you could complain about. The car was flawless," Hamlin said. "We were just thinking of all the scenarios in your head of how you could lose it."

Pit fire/Harvick issues

The yellow flag waved just three times in the race, tying a series record at RIR. The second caution on lap 111 was the precursor to a flash fire in Brendan Gaughan's pit stall during that resulted in three members being transported to a local hospital for observation. For the remainder of the race, members of Scott's crew took on in-race double-duty, pitting both Scott's No. 2 and Gaughan's No. 62.

Kevin Harvick ran inside the top-five throughout the first half the race, but soon after the race entered the second half, Harvick dropped back through the field as he lost the handle on his car, reporting a potential issue that was never resolved. He would finish off the lead lap and in 18th.

Daniel Suarez finished sixth. Scott wound up seventh after stalling his engine on pit road during the green flag cycle of stops. Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon finished eighth and ninth, and Landon Cassill was 10th.