Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Tuesday 5 sepTember 2017

Hamlin sweeps Darlington, rallies to Southern 500 win

By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) —
Denny Hamlin had strong
motivation to chase down
Martin Truex Jr. after badly
missing pit road at Darling-
ton Raceway — embar-
rassment.
Hamlin turned a strong
lead into a 20-second defi-
cit when he missed the en-
trance — “Kind of a rookie
move,” he said — yet rallied
over the final 50 laps to pass
Truex and win the Southern
500. It was a dramatic turn
of events that had Hamlin
relieved he would not be
remembered for blowing a
certain win.
No explanations necessary,
expect maybe, how the
heck did Hamlin do it?
“I think it’s a great story,”
car owner Joe Gibbs said.
“You can tell when he goes Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Monster Cup auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, Sept.
to certain racetracks, too, 3, 2017, in Darlington, S.C.
that he’s got some favor- Associated Press
ites that he’s awful good at the No. 1 seed heading into blew his right front tire and 2010 and this year. Hamlin sweep of the truck, Xfinity
and this is one of them.” the playoffs in two weeks. stumbled home in eighth. passed Joey Logano com- and Monster Energy races
Hamlin won both Darling- Kyle Busch was second, “Sometimes it’s just not your ing off the final turn to take at Bristol two weeks ago.
ton races for the second followed by brother Kurt night,” Truex said. “Tonight Saturday’s race. Busch wound up second
time in his career, the oth- Busch, Austin Dillon and Erik wasn’t our night.” BAD WEEKEND: A poor and led six laps on the way
er coming in 2010. He has Jones. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished weekend on the track got to his 10th top-five finish of
won seven times in the two Hamlin led 124 laps and 22nd — the same as how worse after the race when the season.
series at Darlington. looked as if he was eas- he started — in his final time Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car WHO’S NOT: Clint Bowyer
Hamlin sure didn’t think ily on the way to a second racing at Darlington. On Fri- was found to have two had hoped the spirit of Mark
he’d celebrate anything Southern 500 after win- day, the track rechristened loose lugnuts in inspection. Martin — Bowyer’s car car-
after his error with 54 laps ning in 2010. Then inexpli- one of its suite buildings in EYE ON THE TRUCKS: Brad ried a paint scheme in trib-
left as he fell behind Truex cably, Hamlin missed the turn three as “Earnhardt Keselowski finished 15th, ute to Martin — but instead
by some 20 seconds. But entrance and seemingly Towers” in honor of Dale but was asked about his Bowyer was out of the race
Hamlin slowly reeled in threw the race to the ever- Jr. and his late father Dale truck series driver, Austin just 18 laps in with a broken
Truex and passed him with steady Truex. Earnhardt, who won nine Cindric, who won the NAS- valve. Bowyer, who came
three laps left when his rival “We can still do this,” crew times at Darlington. CAR Camping World Truck in 17th, in points, is on the
brushed the wall and got a chief Mike Wheeler told Matt Kenseth was sixth, race in Bowmanville, Ontar- outside looking in on NAS-
flat tire. Hamlin after the miscue. Ryan Newman seventh, io. Cindric’s win clinched a CAR’s 16-team playoff pic-
Hamlin swept throwback Hamlin got up to Truex’s then Truex, pole-sitter Kevin spot in that series’ playoffs. ture and would need a last-
weekend at Darlington af- bumper with three laps Harvick and Jamie McMur- “It’s always good to get a ditch win at Richmond next
ter winning the Xfinity race to go before moving low ray rounding out the top 10. win in that series,” he said. week to keep going.
Saturday. Truex won the around lapped traffic to It’s the second time Hamlin “That’s a good deal for the UP NEXT: Richmond Inter-
first two stages, clinching take the lead and hold on has swept events at Darling- whole team.” national Raceway, Sept.
NASCAR’s regular-season for victory. ton, winning both the Xfinity WHO’S HOT: Kyle Busch 9. Hamlin is the defending
championship and gaining Truex rubbed the wall , and Cup races together in came to Darlington off a race winner.q