NASCAR Sprint Cup Series –Hamlin Wins at Texas Motor Speedway to Take Lead In Points Standings
Date: November 7, 2010
Event: AAA Texas 500 (Race 34 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-Mile Tri-Oval)
Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Started 30th, Finished 1st)
JGR Finish: Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota (Started 20th, Finished 4th / Running, completed 334 of 334 laps)
Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing (Started 29th, Finished 32nd / Running, completed 332 of 334 laps)
Denny Hamlin completed the season sweep at Texas Motor Speedway yesterday and claimed the top spot in the point standings for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship with just two races remaining in the season.
In addition, Joey Logano completed another strong run to earn an impressive fourth-place finish, while Kyle Busch came home in 32nd position after falling off the lead lap as a result of NASCAR penalties beginning with speeding on pit road.
Hamlin, who entered the race just 14 points behind first-place Jimmie Johnson, started the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota in the 30th position. Hamlin was not discouraged despite the poor starting position after winning the spring race from the 29th spot earlier this year. With the confidence gained from that victory, Hamlin would once again ascend through the field and found himself in the top 10 by lap 60 and inside the top five just a few laps later. Hamlin would complete a run all the way to the front of the field when he took the lead on lap 111 as the field cycled through green flag pit stops. From that point he would settle in and run near the top-five through much of the race as crew chief Mike Ford and the FedEx team made the necessary adjustments to the No. 11 Camry. A caution on lap 300 would bring the leaders down pit road two laps later and a two-tire change put Hamlin back on the track in fourth to restart on lap 305. One lap later Hamlin would claim the lead and pull away from the field until the next caution came out on lap 328. The decision was made to remain out and when the race restarted Kenseth would briefly move to the front, but Hamlin would not be denied and made a tremendous room to reclaim the lead and drive on to victory lane. The victory was his eighth of the season and moved him into first place in the standings with just two races remaining in the season.
Meanwhile Joey Logano started the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota in the 20th position and was quick to climb through the field as well as he moved into the top 10 by lap 60. Logano’s Camry continued to improve with great adjustments by crew chief Greg Zipadelli and The Home Depot crew that brought the handle of his car to his liking. A phenomenal pit stop by the team on lap 131 put Logano out front of the field for the race restart on lap 137, and although he would give way to Greg Biffle a couple of laps into the run, he would get back to the front again on the next round of pit stops. Biffle would prove strong on the restart once again, but patience would continue to pay off for Logano as he waited for the car to come to him and regained the lead on lap 175. He would hold on the lead through the next round of pit stops and spent the rest of the day battling for the lead inside the top five as Logano led six different times during the race for a total of 30 laps. A strong finish over the final laps gave Logano another top-five finish and his fourth straight top-ten finish.
Kyle Busch also proved to have one of the strongest cars in the field today after starting the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota in the 29th position and climbing into the top 20 by lap 30 and inside the top 10 by lap 60. He worked his way into the top five shortly thereafter and spent much of the first half of the race running in and around that position. Unfortunately misfortune would strike on lap 159 when Busch spun entering turn one after a bump from the No. 9 car. He managed to keep his Camry off the wall and away from the rest of the field, but NASCAR ruled that he sped off of pit road as he attempted to remain on the lead lap following a change of tires and minor repairs. Subsequent penalties imposed by NASCAR would eventually result in the No. 18 falling three laps off the pace and unfortunately he was able to only recover one of those laps and go on to finish in 32nd-place.
Matt Kenseth finished second behind Hamlin, while Mark Martin was third, Logano fourth and Greg Biffle rounded out the top five. There were nine cautions for a total of 40 laps and 33 lead changes among 13 different drivers.
Hamlin’s victory moves him into the top spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with just two races remaining. He now holds a 33 point lead over second-place Jimmie Johnson, while Kevin Harvick is third 59 points back of Hamlin. Kyle Busch dropped to seventh in the standings following today’s results, while Joey Logano continued his impressive climb up to 16th.
The current standings after eight races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship are as follows:
- Denny Hamlin (6325)
- Jimmie Johnson (-33)
- Kevin Harvick (-59)
- Carl Edwards (-317)
- Matt Kenseth (-325)
- Jeff Gordon (-331)
- Kyle Busch (-339)
- Tony Stewart (-363)
- Greg Biffle (-372)
- Clint Bowyer (-397)
- Kurt Busch (-435)
- Jeff Burton (-473)
The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship continues next Sunday, November 14 from Phoenix International Raceway. The race will begin at 3 PM ET with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with the pre-race show at 2 PM ET.
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