May 17, 2008
'Curse is over'
Hamlin passes Burton, wins at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin beat out Jeff Burton to win the Sprint Cup Goodys Cool Orange 500. "First Virginia win for me," Hamlin said in victory lane. "Finally. The curse is over, I think. I hope." (Don Petersen, Associated Press / March 30, 2008)
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MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Denny Hamlin finally broke through at Martinsville Speedway after two close calls, and it wasn't Hendrick Motorsports he had to beat.
Hendrick's drivers dominated all race, but Hamlin foiled Jeff Burton's late strategy of staying out while the rest of the leaders pitted, passing his fellow Virginia native on the 427th lap of the Goody's Cool Orange 500 and holding on yesterday for his fourth career victory.
Jeff Gordon, who along with Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson combined to win eight of the previous 10 races on the smallest, tightest oval in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, rallied to finish second, followed by Burton, Johnson and Tony Stewart.
"First Virginia win for me," Hamlin said in victory lane. "Finally. The curse is over, I think. I hope. We've had such bad luck over these first few weeks."
Hamlin arrived 15th in the point standings but held on after twice finishing in the top three as one of the only cars able to run with the Hendrick teams here.
He also had a chance to win at Bristol two weeks ago, but a fuel pickup problem on the restart of a two-lap sprint to the finish caused him to fade to sixth.
"It finally feels good to come here and get a win," said Hamlin, a native of Chester. "Can't wait, man. This is a sign of things to come, I believe."
The Hendrick cars dominated again, with Johnson, Gordon and Earnhardt all leading for long stretches and Casey Mears running mostly in the top 10.
But Hamlin and Burton outsmarted the Hendrick drivers in the pits late and likely benefited from the 18 cautions all coming before their moves put them in front.
"It came down to pit strategy, and Denny and those guys definitely did the right strategy," Gordon said, believing Hamlin had taken two late tires to his four.
When Gordon headed for pit road on Lap 389, Burton was running second and decided to stay out. Most of the front-runners also pitted, including Hamlin, but he just stopped for fuel while the rest took tires, allowing him to beat Gordon off pit road.
Hamlin made quick work of the cars between his and Burton's, pulling onto Burton's bumper with 75 laps to go. He moved inside to challenge for the lead on the next lap, then did it again with 73 laps to go, passing Burton to take the lead for good.
Gordon passed Burton with less than seven laps to go.
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