Denny Hamlin Wins the Daytona 500

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500 by .01 seconds over Martin Truex Jr. on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

The finish was the closest in Daytona 500 history, decided by less than four inches.

Photo courtesy Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Hamlin took the white flag in fourth place, and he muscled his way up to the lead over the final lap.  After making contact with teammate Matt Kenseth in turn 4, Hamlin had enough momentum to get past Truex at the end.

“I can’t even figure out what I did, it all just came together,” Hamlin said.  “I don’t know where that came from, or what happened.”

Hamlin and his fellow Toyota Racing drivers ran up front for most of the race, and Hamlin said he wouldn’t have been able to win without that strategy.

“This was a team victory.  This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for Toyotas sticking together all race long.  So happy to get this victory for Joe Gibbs Racing.”

Truex Jr. was the leader 20 feet from the finish line.  Truex said he thought he could hold off the run from Hamlin.

“I did all I thought I could do,” Truex said.  “He just drafted me and I should have run him up a little bit more, but I thought we were close enough to keep that foot or so.  We lost it at the last second.”

Unofficial results:

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Martin Truex Jr.

3. Kyle Busch

4. Kevin Harvick

5. Carl Edwards

6. Joey Logano

7. Kyle Larson

8. Regan Smith

9. Austin Dillon

10. Kurt Busch

11. Ryan Newman

12. Aric Almirola

13. Kasey Kahne

14. Matt Kenseth

15. Michael McDowell

16. Jimmie Johnson

17. Jamie McMurray

18. Paul Menard

19. Ryan Blaney

20. Brad Keselowski

21. AJ Allmendinger

22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

23. Landon Cassill

24. Brian Scott

25. Ty Dillon

26. Brian Vickers

27. Michael Annett

28. Trevor Bayne

29. David Ragan

30. Michael Waltrip

31. Bobby Labonte

32. Casey Mears

33. Clint Bowyer

34. Greg Biffle

35. Danica Patrick

36. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

37. Chase Elliott

38. Robert Richardson

39. Chris Buescher

40. Matt DiBenedetto

Photo courtesy Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

Earnhardt, Busch Win Can-Am Duels at Daytona

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

 Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch won their CanAm Duels from Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

The twin 60-lap races set the field for Sunday’s Daytona 500, while the front row was set last Sunday with Daytona 500 qualifying.

Earnhardt won the first Duel on Thursday, and said it was a fun race.

“We did a lot of blocking tonight,” Earnhardt said.  “Nothing too crazy, but glad it didn’t have to get that way.”

The victory came on the 15th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s death on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.  Earnhardt Jr. said it was nice to keep adding to his family’s legacy with another Daytona victory.

“Another win at Daytona for the Earnhardts, keep adding to the legacy.  We’re up there in the 50s now with all the wins we have here.  I’m real glad to be able to do that.”

Busch won the second Duel under caution, after a wreck on the final lap took out contenders Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr. and Matt Kenseth.  Busch said he just wanted to have a strong run so he could start up front on Sunday.

“It was pretty quiet and calm there for a long time until the last lap,” Busch said.  “Looking forward to starting the Daytona 500 in the fourth spot, but I’ll probably get the outside front row now that Kenseth got caught up in that mess.”

Dave Blaney and Matt DiBenedetto locked themselves into the 500 with fast qualifying laps on Sunday, while Michael McDowell and Robert Richardson Jr. locked themselves in on Thursday.

Daytona 500 Starting Lineup 

1. Chase Elliott

2. Matt Kenseth

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

4. Kyle Busch

5. Joey Logano

6. Jamie McMurray

7. Ryan Blaney

8. Kurt Busch

9. Kevin Harvick

10. Carl Edwards

11. Denny Hamlin

12. Ty Dillon

13. Kasey Kahne

14. Kyle Larson

15. Greg Biffle

16. Danica Patrick

17. Chris Buescher

18. Brian Vickers

19. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

20. Matt DiBenedetto

21. Austin Dillon

22. Michael Annett

23. Trevor Bayne

24. Landon Cassill

25. Brad Keselowski

26. Jimmie Johnson

27. Regan Smith

28. Martin Truex Jr.

29. David Ragan

30. AJ Allmendinger

31. Clint Bowyer

32. Casey Mears

33. Bobby Labonte

34. Aric Almirola

35. Brian Scott

36. Michael Waltrip

37. Paul Menard

38. Ryan Newman

39. Michael McDowell

40. Robert Richardson Jr.

Photo courtesy Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Weekly Pull List: 2/17/2016

All the comics available this week can be found on ComicList, and any comic book news is on Comic Book Resources.

DC
Batman and Robin Eternal #20
Harley Quinn #25

Image
Sex Criminals #14

Marvel
Amazing Spider-Man #8
Carnage #5
Deadpool and Cable Split Second #3
Extraordinary X-Men #7
Power Man and Iron Fist #1
Spider-Woman #4
Star Wars #16
Web Warriors #4

Titan
Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor #4

Denny Hamlin Wins Sprint Unlimited

Originally written for CLNS Radio.

 Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night.

Photo courtesy Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

Hamlin won the race after running up front with a dominant car over the final half of the race.  He held off Joey Logano and Paul Menard in the closing laps before a wreck on the final lap caused the race to end under caution.  Hamlin said he anticipated Menard’s move and was able to hold him off.

“I had it in my mind what [Menard] was going to do,” Hamlin said.  “When they’re closing that fast, you almost have to anticipate where they’re going to go, or else you’re going to get wrecked.”

The Sprint Unlimited was the first race for Hamlin with new crew chief Mike Wheeler.  Hamlin said his victory was a team effort.

“We have such a young team of crew chiefs and engineers, they all look like they’re a bunch of…high school kids,” Hamlin said.  “We win as one, and this is a Joe Gibbs Racing win.”

The 75-lap race officially kicked off the Sprint Cup season and Daytona Speedweeks, which will continue with Daytona 500 qualifying on Sunday afternoon.

Unofficial results:

1. Denny Hamlin

2. Joey Logano

3. Paul Menard

4. Kyle Larson

5. Casey Mears

6. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

7. Kurt Busch

8. Austin Dillon

9. Brad Keselowski

10. Greg Biffle

11. Danica Patrick

12. Matt Kenseth

13. Martin Truex Jr.

14. Jamie McMurray

15. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

16. Carl Edwards

17. Kyle Busch

18. Aric Almirola

19. Ryan Newman

20. Kasey Kahne

21. AJ Allmendinger

22. Jimmie Johnson

23. Clint Bowyer

24. Brian Vickers

25. Kevin Harvick

Photo courtesy Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Weekly Pull List: 2/10/2016

All the comics available this week can be found on ComicList, and any comic book news is on Comic Book Resources.

DC
Batman #49
Batman and Robin Eternal #19
Harley's Little Black Book #2

Dynamite
James Bond #4

Marvel
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2
All-New Hawkeye #4
All-New X-Men #4
Astonishing Ant-Man #3
Darth Vader #16
Deadpool #7
Guardians of the Galaxy #5
Silk #4
Spider-Gwen #5
Spider-Man 2099 #6
Spider-Man/Deadpool #2
Totally Awesome Hulk #3

Titan
Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Year Two #6
Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor Year Two #2

Five Drivers Who Need To Win In 2016

12 drivers combined to win all 36 races in 2015.  That means, with 43 drivers starting every race, at least 31 drivers didn't get to victory lane last year.  These five drivers went winless in 2015, and 2016 needs to see them get to victory lane.

5. Kyle Larson
Larson was the Rookie of the Year in 2014 following an impressive rookie season.  Many believed he would get a win in 2015, but a sophomore slump slowed his progress.  Now in his third season, he needs to get to victory lane to prove himself a contender going forward, or he could get lost in the shuffle of mid-pack drivers.

Austin Dillon at NASCAR Media Day on Jan. 21, 2016.
(Courtesy Bob Leverone/Getty Images)

4. Austin Dillon
Dillon is a Truck Series and Xfinity Series champion, but he has yet to live up to his potential in the Sprint Cup Series.  Following a rookie campaign where he completed over 99% of the laps run, he had an up-and-down year that saw strong runs followed by disappointing finishes.  If Dillon continues on without a victory, it will be hard to shake the "grandpa's money" comments that have followed him throughout his career.

3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Stenhouse had another disappointing season in 2015.  The 2011 and 2012 Xfinity Series Champion has struggled since moving to the Cup Series in 2013, finishing 25th in the standings in 2015.  While Roush-Fenway Racing had a down year in 2015, Stenhouse continued to struggle.  If Stenhouse doesn't get his first Cup victory soon, he may find himself out of a job.

2. Tony Stewart

Danica Patrick at NASCAR Media Day on Jan. 21, 2016.
(Courtesy Bob Leverone/Getty Images)

If Stewart never won another race, no one would be surprised.  He hasn't been the same since breaking his leg in a dirt race in 2013, and then striking and killing driver Kevin Ward Jr. in a dirt track accident a year later.  Stewart seemed off in all of 2015, and with 2016 being his farewell season, a victory would mean a lot to Stewart and his fans.  But his farewell will have to wait.  Stewart will miss the beginning of the season following a non-racing accident on the West Coast in late January.  Stewart had surgery for an injured back on February 2, and there is no timetable for his return.  I personally would like to wish Stewart a speedy recovery.

1. Danica Patrick
The Danica Patrick experiment continues.  Patrick has proven herself a solid restrictor-plate racer, but she has disappointed almost everywhere else.  She's had a few flashes of promise on ovals, but has yet to be consistent.  With GoDaddy.com pulling out as a sponsor, the clock is ticking on Patrick.  Whilc she is still a highly-marketable driver, it will be interesting how long her remaining sponsors, and team Stewart-Haas Racing, will stand by her side.

 Thanks for reading! Who do you think needs to win in 2016? Let us know in the comments below!

Weekly Pull List: 2/3/2016

All the comics available can be found on ComicList, and any comic book news is on Comic Book Resources.

DC
Batman and Robin Eternal #18
Detective Comics #49
Green Arrow #49

Image
The Walking Dead #151

Marvel
Amazing Spider-Man #7
Captain Marvel #2
Deadpool and the Mercs for Money #1
Doctor Strange #5
Guardians of Infinity #3
Howard the Duck #4
Invincible Iron Man #6
Nova #4
Obi-Wan and Anakin #2
Rocket Raccoon and Groot #2
Spider-Man #1
Spidey #3
Uncanny X-Men #3
Vision #4