Denny Hamlin hangs on for Pocono win in two-lap shootout

Nascar

Denny Hamlin saved enough fuel to fend off his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones in overtime to win Sunday at Pocono.




With nearly everyone close on fuel as Sunday’s Gander RV 400 went to overtime, Hamlin was able to fight off a charge from Kyle Larson and Jones and hang on for victory at Pocono Raceway.

The win is Hamlin’s fifth at the track but first since 2010. It’s his third win of the season.

“I was really worried, really worried,” Hamlin said of his fuel situation in overtime. “We just did a great job with the car. Once we lost the track position there to (Truex) and (Jones), I thought it was over, we weren’t able to pass them.

“Thanks Pocono for putting in this PJ1. I was able to use it there, get around those guys.  Thanks, everyone, for this FedEx Camry. I think we’re on a roll this year.”

Asked if he and his No. 11 Toyota were “rising to the occasion,” he said: “We’re running our best right now.  No doubt about it. We are just going to keep plugging along. That’s all I can say.  We’re doing the best we can.”

Martin Truex Jr. finished third as Joe Gibbs Racing swept the top-three positions. William Byron was fourth and Larson completed the top-five.

Rounding out the top 10 were Kevin Harvick, Daniel Hemric, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney.

Hamlin said heading into the NASCAR playoffs he wanted to know his team was a “race winner” and the last two weeks have answered that question.

“You want to know that you can contend for wins. Yeah, you’re looking for momentum, but you’re just looking for wins week in, week out,” he said. “So proud of this FedEx Ground team for giving us yet another winner two weeks in a row.

“I tell you, we really fought for it last week and came up short. Feel goods to redeem ourselves this week and have such a strong car.”

Stage 3

Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, some of the lead-lap cars elected to pit but Harvick remained on the track and took over the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 104.

He was followed by Joey Logano, Truex, Hamlin and Austin Dillon.

Hamlin got a big run off Turn 1 and was able to get around Harvick to take the lead in Turn 2 for the first time in the race.

With 50 of 160 laps remaining in the race, Hamlin had built almost a 2-second lead over Logano as Harvick remained in third. They were followed by Jones and Larson.

On Lap 114, Ryan Preece slammed into the Turn 1 wall to bring out a caution. All of the lead-lap cars elected to pit except Kyle Busch and her took over the lead. 

On the restart on Lap 119, Busch was followed by Jones (who was first off pit road with a 2-tire stop), Hamlin, Truex and Daniel Suarez.

After 120 laps, Kyle Busch held a small lead over Jones. They were followed by Truex, Keselowski and Hamlin. 

With 30 laps remaining in the race, Busch had opened a 1.4-second lead over Jones as Truex remained in third, nearly 4 seconds behind the leader.

Jones moved into the lead on Lap 135 as Kyle Busch was forced to pit to get enough fuel to make it to the end of the race. Truex moved into second and Hamlin third. Kyle Busch dropped to 25th after his pit stop.

Many drivers were going to be close on gas as the race wound down to 20 laps remaining. Harvick, who had taken 4 tires on his last stop and was saving fuel, had worked his way back up to fourth.

Hamlin got around Truex on Lap 143 to move into the runner-up position. On Lap 144, Hamlin got around Jones to reclaim the lead.

On Lap 147, Harvick moved into third and was told he was good to go on fuel and to challenge the leaders.

Josh Bilicki stopped on the track on Lap 153 which forced NASCAR to throw a caution. When the race returned to green with four laps remaining, Hamlin led the way followed by Truex, Harvick, Jones and Keselowski.

As the field came off Turn 2 on the restart, Kurt Busch squeezed Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who took advance and got into Busch, turning him into Michael McDowell as the race returned immediately to caution.

The cleanup forced the race into a two-lap overtime. On the restart, Hamlin led followed by Jones, Truex, Larson and Harvick.

Cla#DriverManufacturerLapsTimeLaps Led
111 Denny Hamlin Toyota163 32
220 Erik Jones Toyota1630.34110
319 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota1631.023 
424 William Byron Chevrolet1631.477 
542 Kyle Larson Chevrolet1631.967 
64 Kevin Harvick Ford1632.52462
78 Daniel Hemric Chevrolet1632.774 
82 Brad Keselowski Ford1633.193 
918 Kyle Busch Toyota1634.24956
1012 Ryan Blaney Ford1634.269 
1114 Clint Bowyer Ford1634.317 
1210 Aric Almirola Ford1634.358 
1322 Joey Logano Ford1634.863 
146 Ryan Newman Ford1634.867 
1548 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet1635.0143
1637 Chris Buescher Chevrolet1635.231 
1795 Matt DiBenedetto Toyota1635.893 
1821 Paul Menard Ford1635.970 
193 Austin Dillon Chevrolet1636.009 
2088 Alex Bowman Chevrolet1636.039 
2117 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford1636.892 
2243 Darrell Wallace Jr. Chevrolet1637.230 
2336 Matt Tifft Ford1637.240 
2441 Daniel Suarez Ford1637.265 
2534 Michael McDowell Ford1638.390 
2632 Corey Lajoie Ford1621 lap 
271 Kurt Busch Chevrolet1621 lap 
2800 Landon Cassill Chevrolet1594 laps 
2913 Ty Dillon Chevrolet1594 laps 
3015 Ross Chastain Chevrolet1594 laps 
3177 Quin Houff Chevrolet1585 laps 
3227 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet1585 laps 
3351 B.J. McLeod Ford1585 laps 
3452 Austin Theriault Ford1576 laps 
3553 Josh Bilicki Chevrolet14617 laps 
3638 David Ragan Ford12340 laps 
3747 Ryan Preece Chevrolet11449 laps 
389 Chase Elliott Chevrolet8380 laps 

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