Denny Hamlin returned to victory lane Sunday, winning the Heluva Good! 400 at the Michigan International Speedway. Hamllin held off Matt Kenseth in a five-lap shootout to record his first win since November at the Texas Motor Speedway. Hamlin won this event a year ago, which, at the time, was his fifth victory of the season.
Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, and Carl Edwards rounded out the top-five. Ryan Newman was sixth, followed by Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers.
Kurt Busch, who sat on the pole for the third-straight week, was 11th.
The caution flew at lap 191 after Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew a tire and smacked the wall in turn one, setting up the late dash. Hamlin beat Kenseth and Edwards off pit road, which ultimately proved to be the difference.
It was an uncharacteristically miserable day for Rick Hendrick's two multi-championship winners. Jimmie Johnson spun early in the race and spent the entire afternoon trapped two laps down. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, never really got going and finished a disappointing 17th.
Trevor Bayne, making his return to the Sprint Cup Series for the first time since Talladega in April, finished 16th.