NASCAR at Richmond results: Alex Bowman steals Toyota Owners 400 victory from Denny Hamlin

Alex Bowman was the man on Sunday — for 12 laps.

Bowman took home the checkered flag in the 2021 Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond with a late charge, holding off Denny Hamlin after a restart with just a dozen laps to go.

Hamlin won the first two stages of Sunday’s race and was in control after a late caution, but Bowman stole the victory from him with great late pace. He opened up a half-second lead after the restart and took home his first win of the 2021 season — and the third win of his career.

Hamlin, meanwhile, secured his eighth top-five finish of the year, but he’s probably left wondering what he’s going to have to do to take home a checkered flag in 2021.

Sporting News tracked action, highlights and more from Sunday’s race at Richmond. Check it out below.

MORE: Watch NASCAR racing live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

(All times Eastern)

NASCAR at Richmond results

Official results

NASCAR at Richmond live updates, highlights

6:25 p.m. FINISH: Bowman, with a late charge, takes home his first Cup Series victory of the season after overtaking Hamlin on the restart.

6:20 p.m.:  On the restart, Alex Bowman takes the lead from Denny Hamlin and opens up a half second lead over him.

6:14 p.m.:  Hamlin and Logano both pit under a yellow flag. Hamlin comes out on front from pit lane. 

6:11 p.m.:  Caution flag out as Kevin Harvick slams into the wall. He’s OK. Right rear tire popped.

6:08 p.m.:  Fun battle between Hamlin and Logano. Hamlin right on Logano’s rear bumper. 24 laps to go.

6:02 p.m.:  First-place battle between Logano and Hamlin heating up. Hamlin right on Logano’s rear. Trying to push.

5:56 p.m.:  Truex pits from the lead, Hamlin sits two seconds behind Logano. Kyle Busch incurs a penalty for pit road.

5:44 p.m.:  81 laps to go, and Hamlin still in the lead.

5:36 p.m.:  Martin Truex slapped with a penalty for speeding down pit road. His first penalty for speeding this year. 

5:34 p.m.:  Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick pitting in lap 293. Hamlin follows them.

5:19 p.m.:  Joey Logano really pushing Denny Hamlin now. Truex in third, followed by Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Christopher Bell. 

5:14 p.m.:  No driver who’s swept the first two stages has ever won. Hamlin out front with 151 laps left in the race.

5:05 p.m. End Stage 2:  Denny Hamlin takes Stage 2, by a second over Truex. Shaping up to be Hamlin’s day for a win — maybe.

4:54 p.m.:  Denny Hamlin is in the lead with 25 laps left in Stage 2. Brad Keselowski charged into third place, behind Truex. Kevin Harvick also making a move, sitting in sixth. 

4:43 p.m.:  Pit stops coming from the leaders. 51 laps left in Stage 2. 

4:32 p.m.:  Restart away, and Truex and Hamlin are still locked in a battle for first. Truex says he’s having issues with his brakes. Uh oh.

4:23 p.m.:  Caution flag is out in lap 143 as Ryan Newman spins out and into the wall. Not a lot of damage for Newman, and he drives off.

4:15 p.m.:  Truex squeaks out in front of Hamlin, taking the lead entering lap 45. 

4:03 p.m.:  Stage 2 underway, 155 laps in this stage. Denny Hamlin clinging to the lead. 

3:51 p.m. End Stage 1:  Denny Hamlin takes home Stage 1, still in search of his first win of the 2021 season. 

3:40 p.m.:  Under 30 laps to go in Stage 1 and it’s pretty tame so far. Chase Elliott down in eighth now, locked in a battle with Brad Keselowski. Elliott seems to be fighting his car right now.

3:31 p.m.:  Competition caution out at Lap 33 and Denny Hamlin exits the pits with the lead.

3:26 p.m.:  Already 25 laps through, and the top five remains the same. Austin Dillon sitting in 10th, fighting with William Byron for that spot.

3:17 p.m.:  Denny Hamlin scuffles off the start, but recovers for third. Truex Jr., Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney round out the early one-through-five.

3:10 p.m. : All systems go with no pre-race drama today. Few minutes to green flag.

NASCAR start time today

The green flag for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway is scheduled to wave at 3:15 p.m. ET.

It’s unlikely that weather will delay the start. The National Weather Service’s midweek forecast  for Richmond, Va., called for partly sunny skies and a high temperature near 70 degrees, the capper to a dry weekend.  

NASCAR lineup at Richmond

Here is the complete starting lineup for the Toyota Owners 400 without qualifying: