DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Denny Hamlin raced his battle scarred Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to overtime win in the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway Saturday night. It was Hamlin’s third win in the non-points exhibition race, and his second in the last three years.
Hamlin pitted on the 13th of the 75 scheduled laps and was able to stretch out his fuel and avoid the worst of the carnage that left only 8 of the 25 cars to cross the line in the end. The race featured the first use of NASCAR’s new overtime line that allowed for multiple attempts at a green white checkered flag finish. Hamlin and Joey Logano were side by side for the lead and took the white flag but Hamlin was able to pull ahead as behind them a six car pileup erupted. Hamlin held a clear lead into turn three when NASCAR threw the final caution giving the win to Hamlin.
“It was just such a dilemma for me to figure out what lane to start in,” Hamlin said.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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