Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup, NASCAR
MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Denny Hamlin needed a long green flag stretch to get his No. 11 FedEx Toyota to run at its best, and he finally got that run during the final 100 laps at Martinsville Speedway, making the race-winning pass of Kevin Harvick on lap 471 of the 500-lap event.The victory, Hamlin's third in a row at Martinsville, allowed him to pull within six points of Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. It's the closest margin between first and second in the Chase since the playoff format was instituted in 2004.
Hamlin took the checkered flag by 2.318 seconds over Mark Martin, who made up two laps and was charging toward the front at the end. Harvick finished third after leading most of the later laps of the race. Kyle Busch finished fourth, followed by Jimmie Johnson.
It was Hamlin's seventh win this year and his 15th career victory. He's now won three in a row at Martinsville and four in all.
"We are back, baby!" Hamlin shouted on his radio as he crossed the finish line. "Awesome job! Great job of adjusting the car. It was the best it's been all day long. Pit crew, you did it right there. You got me out. Thanks, guys. Relentless, relentless job, guys."
In victory lane, Hamlin said, "I don't think I've ever closed that well, ever. We did not have a race-winning car until the very end. My pit crew got me from sixth to third before the last restart and that was the key."
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