Notebook: Hamlin rallies to remain second in points

Notebook: Hamlin rallies to remain second in points


By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FONTANA, Calif.—A poor qualifying run left Denny Hamlin 34th on the starting grid for Sunday’s Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
A transmission change before the race forced him to the back of the field—43rd—for the green flag.
Under the circumstances, Hamlin did well to stay close to points leader Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin finished eighth and remained second in the standings. He trails Johnson, who finished third, by 36 points with six races left in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
“I can’t be too disappointed with it—especially from where we started,” Hamlin said. “It’s somewhat uplifting that we got out of here with a top-10 day. On the other hand, we felt like we at least could have raced those guys.”
Hamlin’s nemesis was a series of restarts necessitated by late cautions. Hamlin was gaining ground until a debris caution on Lap 182 slowed the race.
“I needed it to go green those last 20 laps,” Hamlin said. “We were catching the 48 (Johnson) and those guys. I felt like we were going to finish third or fourth. Just got those restarts—that was our Achilles’ heel all day. We’d lose three or four spots every lap for the first couple, and then we would make them back up.”
Hamlin nevertheless has cause for optimism.
“We run better the second half of the Chase—we always have,” he said. “At this point, to be within whatever amount of points we are, I can take that and I can race him from there.”
Kyle Busch’s Chase up in smoke
A blown engine on Lap 154 Sunday derailed Kyle Busch’s promising run and all but eliminated him from title contention.
“It blew the seal between the hood and the cowl up about five laps prior to that,” Busch said. “I don’t know why or what it was, but I said, ‘That certainly didn’t sound right, and if it makes it the rest of the way, I’ll certainly be surprised.’ ”
Busch didn’t have to worry about finishing the race, and with the engine failure went the championship. He is 10th, 187 points behind Johnson.
“It’s over,” Busch said. “On to next yearBad day for big brother, too
Unlike his brother, Kyle, Kurt Busch isn’t giving up on the Chase, but Kurt’s fortunes suffered a major setback, thanks to an accident involving David Ragan with seven laps left in the race.
Busch rallied to finish 21st, but he leaves Fontana sixth in the standings, 140 points behind Johnson.
“We still looked to be a threat for a top 10 until we had the run-in with the 6 car (Ragan),” Busch said. “He just washed right up the track and pinned us into the wall. The left front tire blew, and we had to pit for repairs.
“We were running wounded out there on the last restart, but we still made it back up from 30th to 21st. It could have been a really solid day here for the (No. 2) Dodge, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Hopefully, we can bounce back next week at Charlotte.”