NASCAR CUP: Hamlin Wins Action-Packed Cup Race at Bristol

2012 Bristol Motor Speedway Denny Hamlin

BRISTOL, Tenn. — The mayhem was back at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night as Denny Hamlin claimed an Irwin Tools Night Race marred by crashes, acrimony and temper tantrums.

Some expected it. Some thought the bizarre changes in the track — at Speedway

Motorsports CEO Bruton Smith’s behest, the .533-mile track had its upper lanes of concrete ground and leveled — would have little effect.

What materialized was a slightly amended return to the Bristol of yore, the exception being the track’s desirable lane through the turns moving from the bottom to the middle. The high lane lost its relevance, and repeated crashes occurred as a consequence of the changes.

Hamlin’s victory was a bit of a surprise in that he had finished better than 19th only once in his previous five races at BMS. It was his first victory at the track and 20th of his Sprint Cup career.

Danica Patrick’s night — she was on the lead lap, though she had been lapped twice and restored by rule — ended on lap 435 in a crash that wasn’t of her making. Regan Smith’s Chevy tapped hers off turn four and Patrick’s fluorescent green Chevy skidded into the pit wall at a severe angle. She walked away and seemed to consider emulating her owner, Tony Stewart, by throwing her helmet. She opted to point a finger at Smith’s car instead.

Stewart, by the way, had bounced his helmet off Matt Kenseth’s Ford after the two tangled earlier while battling for the lead.

Two surprises began the race. First, the unheralded pole winner, Casey Mears (who had assumed that spot based on practice speeds), led the first 10 laps under green-flag conditions, keeping first Brad Keselowski and then Joey Logano at bay. Second, a tap from the Toyota of Jason Leffler sent the Chevy of Ken Schrader spinning on the 10th lap. Neither had been expected to race so fiercely, or, for that matter, even hang around for very long.

It was actually 28 laps until Logano finally managed to slip past Mears’ Ford, which then set an effective pick that enabled Logano to speed away. It took 40 laps for first Aric Almirola and then Jeff Burton to get past the tenacious Mears.

Patrick’s Chevy succumbed to leader Logano on lap 51, falling a lap down in 37th position. A sterner test was Patrick’s teammate — and reigning Sprint Cup champion — Tony Stewart, who kept Logano occupied until the 73rd lap.

Debris — a tire chunk in turn two — produced the second yellow flag at lap 82. Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. received pit-road speeding penalties during the pit-stop sequence that followed.

Kasey Kahne took up the chase of Logano, ousting Burton from second on lap 95. He took the lead on lap 106.

A series of pseudo-crashes involving Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr. and David Ragan led to the third yellow flag at lap 122. The specific reason was Busch’s spin after contact with Hornish, but Busch’s Chevy was, by that time, barely track-worthy. He returned, however, after minor repairs.

Meanwhile, Juan Pablo Montoya moved up to third behind Kahne and Logano.

The leader then lost a lap. Another caution occurred when an apparent broken oil line caused Ragan’s Ford to briefly burst into flames. Kahne’s Chevy apparently hit the oil and hit the wall a glancing blow. When the action resumed on lap 158, Logano led, followed by Jeff Gordon.

A crash involving Burton and Ryan Newman brought out yet another yellow flag at lap 190. By remaining on the track while those in front of him pitted, Dale Earnhardt Jr. assumed the lead, but Denny Hamlin succeeded him on lap 219. Aric Almirola’s Ford crashed in turn two on lap 224.

Written By: ChicagoTribune.com

 

Race Results

1. #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 500 laps 3hrs 9mins 27secs (47/4 pts)
2. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 500 laps + 1.103s (43/1 pts)
3. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 500 laps + 1.249s (41/0 pts)
4. #55 Brian Vickers Toyota 500 laps + 2.354s (41/1 pts)
5. #9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 500 laps + 5.237s (40/1 pts)
6. #18 Kyle Busch Toyota 500 laps + 5.717s (38/0 pts)
7. #15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 500 laps + 5.914s (37/0 pts)
8. #20 Joey Logano Toyota 500 laps + 6.265s (38/2 pts)
9. #5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 500 laps + 6.400s (36/1 pts)
10. #27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 500 laps + 7.269s (34/0 pts)
11. #56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 500 laps + 7.667s (34/1 pts)
12. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 500 laps + 8.059s (33/1 pts)
13. #42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 500 laps + 8.895s (31/1 pts)
14. #47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 500 laps + 9.677s (30/0 pts)
15. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 500 laps + 10.039s (29/0 pts)
16. #78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 500 laps + 10.440s (28/0 pts)
17. #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 500 laps + 10.760s (27/0 pts)
18. #93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 500 laps + 10.942s (26/0 pts)
19. #16 Greg Biffle Ford 500 laps + 12.822s (26/1 pts)
20. #38 David Gilliland Ford 500 laps + 13.562s (24/0 pts)
21. #13 Casey Mears Ford 500 laps + 1 Lap (24/1 pts)
22. #99 Carl Edwards Ford 496 laps + 4 laps (23/1 pts)
23. #98 Michael McDowell Ford 496 laps + 4 laps (21/0 pts)
24. #83 Landon Cassill Toyota 490 laps + 10 laps (20/0 pts)
25. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford 486 laps + 14 laps (20/1 pts)
26. #36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 476 laps Accident (18/0 pts)
27. #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 471 laps + 29 laps (18/1 pts)
28. #51 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 440 laps + 60 laps (16/0 pts)
29. #10 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 434 laps Accident (0pts)
30. #2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 434 laps + 66 laps (14/0 pts)
31. #249 Jason Leffler Toyota 417 laps + 83 laps (0pts)
32. #34 David Ragan Ford 409 laps + 91 laps (12/0 pts)
33. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 360 laps + 140 laps (11/0 pts)
34. #22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 343 laps + 157 laps (0pts)
35. #43 Aric Almirola Ford 235 laps Accident (9/0 pts)
36. #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 189 laps Accident (8/0 pts)
37. #30 David Stremme Toyota 159 laps Rear Gear (7/0 pts)
38. #26 Josh Wise * Ford 150 laps Brakes (6/0 pts)
39. #87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 130 laps Electrical (0pts)
40. #33 Stephen Leicht * Chevrolet 56 laps Fuel Pressure (4/0 pts)
41. #23 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 20 laps Brakes (3/0 pts)
42. #32 Ken Schrader Ford 9 laps Accident (2/0 pts)
43. #119 Mike Bliss Toyota 6 laps Power Steering (0pts)

 

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