Hamlin Wins Chase Opener

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Denny Hamlin won the myAFibRisk.com 400 from Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Hamlin stayed out when most of the leaders pitted following a caution with 10 laps to go, and he took the lead when the race restarted with six laps to go.  Hamlin said he thought he had a 50/50 chance of holding off the cars behind him on fresh tires.

 

Photo courtesy Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

“I was going to drive in there and hope that everything worked out,” Hamlin said.  “We stretched it out at the end, even with no tires.”

Hamlin had an eventful race before ending up in victory lane.  Hamlin found himself a lap down early after spinning on lap 2.  Hamlin said his team stayed calm following the incident and his car was fast enough to overcome the early mistake.

“I knew there couldn’t have been that many cars on the lead lap and luckily that one caution came out that allowed us to get the wavearound,” Hamlin said.  “We had a fast car and that’s the important thing.”

With Hamlin’s victory, he is now locked into the next round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.  Hamlin is now the only driver who can rest easily over the remaining two races of the Challenger Round.

“Great way to start the Chase.  Takes the pressure off us.  We’re ready to go have some fun.”

Unofficial results:

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Carl Edwards

3. Kurt Busch

4. Ryan Newman

5. Matt Kenseth

6. Joey Logano

7. Kyle Larson

8. Brad Keselowski

9. Kyle Busch

10. Aric Almirola

11. Jimmie Johnson

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

13. Martin Truex Jr.

14. Jeff Gordon

15. David Ragan

16. Jamie McMurray

17. Paul Menard

18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

19. Clint Bowyer

20. Casey Mears

21. Greg Biffle

22. Brian Scott

23. Justin Allgaier

24. Kasey Kahne

25. Tony Stewart

26. Danica Patrick

27. Landon Cassill

28. Trevor Bayne

29. Cole Whitt

30. Sam Hornish Jr.

31. Brett Moffitt

32. David Gilliland

33. Josh Wise

34. Michael Annett

35. J.J. Yeley

36. AJ Allmendinger

37. Alex Bowman

38. Jeb Burton

39. Matt DiBenedetto

40. Reed Sorenson

41. Timmy Hill

42. Kevin Harvick

43. Austin Dillon

Photo courtesy Sean Gardner/Getty Images