CONCORD, N.C. - Denny Hamlin took advantage of a fast final pit stop to race to a million dollar payday and his first career victory in the Sprint All Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
Hamlin restarted at the head of the field for the final segment and led all 10 laps, holding off a strong challenge from Kevin Harvick to earn Joe Gibbs Racing their first all-star victory and put Toyota in Victory Lane for the first time in the event.
Harvick held onto finish second, followed by Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.
Hamlin led a total of 26 laps after starting on the pole, and rallied from an early pit road speeding penalty for his best finish since coming home fourth in 2010.
“You want to win the Daytona 500. You want to win the Brickyard 400. You want to win the Coke 600. You want to be an All-Star,” said Hamlin. “It’s just an unbelievable experience. We just didn’t have a car that was fast enough to run with those guys until Dave (Rogers, crew chief) made that last adjustment and of course the clean air, but that pit crew – that’s all I can say – they carried me all day long and they got us this victory.”
Hamlin’s crew got him on in front after the final round of pit stops before the start of the fifth and final segment, putting him out ahead of the field.
Brad Keselowski, who came off pit road in second, was busted for speeding and was send to the rear of the field, putting Kurt Busch on the front row for the restart followed by Harvick, Kahne and Gordon.
One the restart, Busch got a slow start as Hamlin jumped out to an early lead, while Harvick continued to make ground on the high side.
Harvick quickly made his way around Kurt Busch and started to reel in Hamlin, pulling to within a car lengths with five to go.
With just two laps to go, Harvick lost the air off the front of his Chevrolet and pushed up the racetrack in turn three, giving Hamlin and chance to pull away. Harvick quickly recovered but found himself too far back to have any chance of catching Hamlin, who cruised to the checkered flag by .923 seconds over Harvick.
“As soon as Denny (Hamlin) moved up that one time it kind of took the air off,” said Harvick. “I had committed to the middle of the corner. Once I got to the middle of the corner the car just washed all the way up the race track and I had to lift way out of the gas to get the car back off the wall.”
After starting on the pole, Hamlin led the opening 14 laps before Kasey Kahne drove past on the outside to take over the top spot and lead the last 10 laps to win the first segment with Hamlin in second followed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.
Following a round of pit stops between segments, Keselowski took over the top spot followed by Earnhardt, Jr. and Hamlin.
Keselowski got a good jump on the restart while Hamlin fell back in the field as Kurt Busch moved up to take second. Within seven laps, Kurt Busch caught up to Keselowski and pulled up door to door with the race leader, briefly edging ahead for the lead before Keselowski fought back to re-gain the top for the final lap to win the second segment over Kurt Busch, Gordon, Joey Logano and Kahne.
Jamie McMurray won the race off pit road with a two tire stop with Keselowski and Logano behind whole Hamlin was penalized for speeding on pit road, putting him at the tail end of the longest line.
On the restart, Logano got into the back of McMurray got him loose, allowing Keselowski to take advantage on the high side and power back to the front of the field.
Keselowski would lead all 25 laps to win the third segment followed by Harvick, Kurt Busch and Logano.
On the ensuing round of pit stops, Matt Kenseth and Hamlin moved to the front row with two tire stops, but it proved to be a costly gamble for Kenseth, so quickly fell back on the restart as Hamlin moved to the lead.
Hamlin’s lead lasted just two laps before Kurt Busch mode a power move around the inside of Hamlin and then checked out to a sizable 2.5-second lead, going on to win the fourth segment over Harvick, Hamlin, Keselowski and Kahne.
For the final segment, teams were required to make a four-tire stop with the running order determined by their average finish in the first four segments. Keselowski led the field to pit road but it was Hamlin who beat everyone out of the pits, going from sixth place to the front of the field for the final segment.
After the race, Hamlin credited his crew and crew chief Dave Rogers for getting him out in front and giving him a shot at a win.
“My pit crew just did an amazing job,” said Hamlin. “I don’t know what the time of the pit stop was, but it was fast as I’ve seen all year and, obviously, that number one pit stall helped us. If we had to get up to speed, we were probably going to come out third or so, but being right there by that camera line, it allowed us to come out first.
“I knew it was fast when they went over the left side, so, gosh, these guys have been with me for so long and they switched over teams with me with Dave Rogers, so it means so much to me to be a part of that and win it with them.”
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway – Concord, NC
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race – May 16, 2015
1. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 110, $1,045,009.
2. (20) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 110, $249,784.
3. (16) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 110, $149,735.
4. (9) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 110, $119,705.
5. (17) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 110, $114,705.
6. (19) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 110, $108,705.
7. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 110, $102,555.
8. (11) Joey Logano, Ford, 110, $101,555.
9. (3) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 110, $100,555.
10. (7) Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet, 110, $99,555.
11. (13) A.J. Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 110, $98,530.
12. (4) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 110, $97,530.
13. (2) Greg Biffle, Ford, 110, $96,530.
14. (8) Aric Almirola, Ford, 110, $96,030.
15. (12) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 110, $95,430.
16. (14) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 110, $95,155.
17. (10) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 110, $95,030.
18. (18) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 110, $94,930.
19. (15) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 110, $94,830.
20. (6) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 78, $94,730.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 106.452 mph.
Time of Race: 01 Hrs, 33 Mins, 00 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.923 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 0 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Hamlin 1-14; K. Kahne 15-25; B. Keselowski 26-32; Kurt Busch 33; B. Keselowski 34-75; D. Hamlin 76-77; Kurt Busch 78-100; D. Hamlin 101-110.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): B. Keselowski 2 times for 49 laps; D. Hamlin 3 times for 26 laps; Kurt Busch 2 times for 24 laps; K. Kahne 1 time for 11 laps.
