Page 19 - atoday

SPORTS A19
Monday 21 September 2015

Hamlin rallies to earn victory in opening round of playoffs

anterior cruciate ligament gutsy call not to pit during a speeding penalty to fin-
— had a horrible opening the final caution to give ish second and give JGR
day of practice that cost Hamlin a shot at the vic- and Toyota a 1-2 finish.
him when qualifying was tory. Kurt Busch, who was head-
rained out Friday. The field He jumped from third to ed for the win until the final
was set by practice speed first on the restart with five caution was called with 10
and Hamlin was 29th at laps remaining, and gave laps remaining, was third.
the start. JGR its ninth win in the last Ryan Newman, who used
He then spun trying to pick 12 races. JGR has won consistency to race his
his way through traffic on three consecutive Sprint way into the champion-
the second lap, dropped Cup races, and celebrat- ship round last year, was
a lap down and was last in ed an Xfinity Series vic- fourth and Kenseth was
the field. tory on Saturday with Kyle fifth to give JGR three driv-
But he and his JGR team Busch. ers in the top-five.
didn’t panic, then used a Carl Edwards rallied from Johnson finished 11th.q

Denny Hamlin prepares to eat a Chicago style hot dog in

Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto

race at Chicagoland Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, in

Joliet, Ill. Associated Press

JENNA FRYER over to the bickering driv-
AP Auto Racing Writer ers and Harvick eventu-
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — Denny ally retreated to the back-
Hamlin earned a surprise seat of the car as Johnson
automatic berth into the walked away.
second round of NAS- Harvick is last in the 16-driv-
CAR’s playoffs by rallying er field, and four drivers will
from last to victory lane be cut from the Chase in
Sunday at Chicagoland two weeks. Asked what
Speedway in the opening he needs to do to stay in
race of the Chase for the contention, he was blunt:
Sprint Cup championship. “We’ve just got to go win
Kevin Harvick’s hopes at one of these next two rac-
a repeat season champi- es.”
onship were decidedly in Hamlin is in coast mode
danger after contact with for the next two races, at
Jimmie Johnson on a re- New Hampshire and then
start ultimately led him to Dover, because his victory
crash. moves him into the sec-
Johnson went to Harvick’s ond round. Only 12 drivers
motorhome to speak will advance into the sec-
to Harvick, but Harvick ond round, and a victory
walked out of the bus and in any Chase race earns
shoved Johnson in the an automatic berth.
chest with a closed fist. “Go have some fun the
Harvick was separated next two weeks, that’s
from the six-time cham- for sure. Takes some pres-
pion, but Johnson pointed sure off of us,” Hamlin said
at Harvick, who was re- about his strategy for the
strained from getting at next two weeks.
Johnson a second time. It was a bit of a surprise
Harvick’s wife, DeLana, ex- win considering Hamlin
ited a waiting car to walk — driving with a torn right