Denny Hamlin Picks Up First Road Course Win

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Denny Hamlin won the Cheez-It 355 from Watkins Glen International on Sunday afternoon.

Hamlin picked up his first career road course victory on Sunday, which he said has bothered him the past few years.

Sean Gardner (Getty Images)

“I’ve finally won at all the tracks, so it’s a great accomplishment for us,” Hamlin said.  “We should have won both road courses, which is something I’d never have predicted going into the year.”

Hamlin used fuel strategy to get the victory, stretching his fuel 40 laps.  Hamlin said his team looked at past Watkins Glen races for their strategy.

“I feel like these races tend to trend with a lot of cautions right at the end, and we got the caution laps we needed to get to the end on fuel.”

Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski got together in the final corner while fighting for the lead, and Truex hit the wall.  After the race, Truex showed his frustration by door-slamming Keselowski.  Keselowski said the wreck was an accident.

“Obviously it’s my fault, I never mean to run into the back of somebody,” Keselowski said.  “At the last minute, he came back up and I was already committed.  That’s my fault.”

After the race, Keselowski apologized to Truex on pit road.  Truex said he wanted to let Keselowski know he was frustrated.

“I told him I knew it was his fault, simple as that,” Truex said.  “I just wanted him to know that I wasn’t happy after the race.  As far as the rest of it, it’s no big deal…just hard racing.”

Unofficial results:

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Joey Logano

3. Brad Keselowski

4. AJ Allmendinger

5. Tony Stewart

6. Kyle Busch

7. Martin Truex Jr.

8. Jamie McMurray

9. Trevor Bayne

10. Matt Kenseth

11. Kurt Busch

12. Casey Mears

13. Chase Elliott

14. Jeff Gordon

15. Carl Edwards

16. Ryan Newman

17. Michael McDowell

18. Clint Bowyer

19. Ryan Blaney

20. Kasey Kahne

21. Danica Patrick

22. Paul Menard

23. Landon Cassill

24. Boris Said

25. Brian Scott

26. Josh Wise

27. Aric Almirola

28. Cole Whitt

29. Kyle Larson

30. Chris Buescher

31. Austin Dillon

32. Kevin Harvick

33. David Ragan

34. Matt DiBenedetto

35. Regan Smith

36. Alex Kennedy

37. Michael Annett

38. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

39. Greg Biffle

40. Jimmie Johnson

Jonathan Ferrey (Getty Images)