Thrice in third place, Hamlin in third place
RICHMOND--With 11 laps left in the Jim Stewart 400 at Richmond International Raceway yesterday, Denny Hamlin went to the outside, slid past Jeff Gordon and into third place. He had slithered beyond the Hendrick Motorsports superstar, and was ready to make a push to the front.
But then he looked ahead and saw two other Hendrick drivers--Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch--zipping well beyond his reach. It was as if he had walked up a hill to find a mountain waiting.
Johnson went on to win the race, and Denny Hamlin stayed in third. Hendrick drivers have now won all four races involving the Car of Tomorrow. But while the rest of the field bangs its head against the wall trying to figure out this new ride, Denny Hamlin at least seems on the right track.
After finishing 14th in the Food City 500--the first race using the Car of Tomorrow--Denny Hamlin has placed third in each of the last three.
"I'm happy I'm the only other guy that's really been competitive week in and week out with [the Hendrick team]," Denny Hamlin said. "But by the same token, I feel like our team is as good as theirs. It's just that they seem to be in the right place at the right time."
This race was originally scheduled for Saturday night, but after 12 caution laps, it was postponed because of rain. Like the other drivers, Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team had set up its Chevrolet for night conditions, and since the cars were impounded, they could not make pre-race adjustments.
Instead, the team used its early pit stops as the time to tinker. On Lap 42, Denny Hamlin radioed that his Chevrolet was too tight in the center. He offered a similar refrain on Lap 104.
But Denny Hamlin took the lead from Jeff Gordon, the pole-sitter, on Lap 129. Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick traded the lead five times over the next 43 trips around this ¾-mile bullring.
Denny Hamlin said he felt he had a winning car until a green-flag pit stop soured his setup a bit.
"Our car never was right after that," the Chesterfield native said, "and we spent the rest of the day trying to make up for it. Our car was best on that very last run."
But the best was not enough to surpass the Hendrick Motorsports juggernaut.
Denny Hamlin said that because Hendrick has four cars in its stable, it has a decided advantage figuring out the Car of Tomorrow. Joe Gibbs Racing has three teams.
Still, Denny Hamlin said, his team is not that far off.
"They've got all the wins because they haven't made any mistakes," he said. "I've made mistakes and my pit crew has made mistakes."
With yesterday's finish, Denny Hamlin is now fourth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, 332 points behind Jeff Gordon. Denny Hamlin has placed in the top 15 in each of his three career races at RIR.
"Denny, regardless of where we're at, he does a great job behind the wheel, and he races really smart," Johnson said. "He does play the give-and-take game really well, but when it's time at the end of the race to get the job done, he's smart, fast and aggressive."
