Joe Gibbs Racing

Immediately after the checkered flag flew Saturday night at Richmond, all 12 Sprint Cup chase drivers and team members were given custom made Sprint Cup chase hats with their sponsor logos on the front.

Kyle Busch, losing his chase chances by eight points to Brian Vickers, did not get a hat.

When you look back at the past 25 races, it would be pretty easy to speculate where Kyle Busch could have picked up eight extra points.

Busch led the majority of laps at Darlington until a visit to the turn one wall sent him backwards to a 34th place finish and a paltry 66 points.

The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona was another opportunity for Busch. A final turn tango with Tony Stewart relegated Busch from a certain top 5 finish to a 14th place finish. These two races represent a potential gain of over 150 points.

There are certainly more examples. What stands out here is not the bad luck or missed opportunities; it is a statement that makes regular appearances in Kyle Busch interviews.

“I don’t race for points, I race for wins.”

An article in Sunday’s Virginian-Pilot stated that Joe Gibbs Racing was working on a contract extension with Kyle Busch. This extension would keep Busch at JGR for the next few years. The original contract is set to expire at the end of the 2010 season.

Early in the 2005 Sprint Cup season Joe Gibbs told Tony Stewart he could not race in any races other than his Sprint Cup obligations. Gibbs’ said Stewart needed to focus more on winning the championship. It worked.

If Joe Gibbs Racing is in fact going to keep Kyle Busch past next season, maybe it’s time for Coach Gibbs to educate Busch and once again issue a few directives.

The first order of business should be points. It takes points to win a championship. No points, no championship.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Carl Edwards have no wins this season. Mark Martin has four wins, the same amount as Busch does this season. Because of points, not wins, all three are eligible for a championship. Busch is not.

The next directive should be the same one issued to Stewart. Joe Gibbs has to put a governor on the amount of races Busch feels a need to run every weekend.

Slow down for a year or two and put all your efforts into winning a Sprint Cup.

Finally, Busch’s antics need to stop. Yes they are great for the fans and NASCAR needs a bad boy to keep ratings inflated. The question here is when it is enough.

There is no way Busch’s antics do not have some effect on his team. It just cannot be possible that his tantrums and emotional outburst’s do not spill over onto his team causing more than the usual amount of stress.  

Busch has now missed his fifth opportunity at a championship. If Coach Gibbs does not intervene and changes are not made, he will miss many more.

Source: Pilotonline.com/Dustin Long

Photo credits: David Yeazell

Thanks to Kelly Crandall for the introduction to this piece.

Prior to 2004 and the creation of the Chase for the Championship, no one would have said the fall race at Richmond was one of the most important races on the schedule. 

But here we are on a Saturday night in September and all eyes will not only be on who takes home the checkered flag in the 26th event of the season, but on 11 drivers who are fighting for the final eight spots in the 2009 Chase field. 

Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch sat 13th and 14th respectively, and were the only two sitting on the outside looking in that are still eligible to bump their way in tonight with solid performances. They'd start 6th and 8th in the line-up. 

In order to do so, they'd need Matt Kenseth who was sitting 12th and his teammate Greg Biffle, sitting 11th, to have trouble. Biffle will have to battle from 26th while Kenseth will be behind him in 28th at the green flag.

Hometown favorite Denny Hamlin, who locked in his Chase spot last week in Richmond, would start in the third spot. Current points leader Tony Stewart would be buried in 29th.

Mark Martin, who could possibly be the points leader if the younger Busch brother fails to make the Chase, led the field to the green flag after taking the pole position on Friday night. 

After the All-American Rejects rocked out the crowd, Martin and his No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet got the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 started at 8:12 local time under the lights.

Martin pulled out to an early lead as the field began to line up single file. Hometown hero Hamlin took the lead easily on lap four, before the first caution of the night came out a lap later.

Scott Speed was clipped by Jeff Burton while they and Tony Stewart went three-wide in turn two. Seven cars, including the No. 17 of Matt Kenseth, made a pitstop under that caution. He restarted back in 37th.

Hamlin jumped to the restart on lap ten as Reed Sorenson got wicked loose going into turn two, but managed to save his No. 43 Dodge and fell back in line.

Teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon raced hard side-by-side for fourth with defending champion Johnson giving up the spot and falling into the clutches of Kasey Kahne.

Just behind them, Chase hopeful Kyle Busch hoped to rein them in and gain those vital points. Kahne was able to complete the pass four laps later on lap 23.

Up front, Hamlin extended his lead over Martin to over a second while last year's rookie of the year, Regan Smith, took his No. 78 behind the wall.

Carl Edwards told his crew his car was "snappy loose," causing him to drop from 10th to 30th by lap 40. He was just five cars ahead of the end of the lead lap, as Hamlin began lapping cars.

"It was my fault, guys," Tony Stewart said as the second caution of the night came out. On lap 45 he and Reed Sorenson made it three wide with David Stremme for 14th, 15th, and 16th, sending the No. 14 and No. 43 spinning. Both received minimal damage and were able to drive away, but were lapped.

Hamlin led the field down pit road and barely beat the No. 24 of Gordon off pit road. Dale Earnhardt Jr. managed to gain three spots on pit road and seventh blank on lap 51.

Hamlin once again had an impressive restart and jumped out to a dominant lead over Gordon. Just as Gordon was making an attempt to pass Hamlin, the night's third caution came out for more problems for Regan Smith. Sorenson was the lucky dog.

The leaders turned down the opportunity to pit on lap 59 while the tail end of the field, including Chase hopefuls Kenseth, Biffle and Brian Vickers, among others, made stops.

On lap 64 Hamlin, on the outside this time, took the green flag and still cleared Gordon to maintain his lead. The two ran side by side on lap 67, with Gordon prevailing.

Back in the pack, teammates Burton and Clint Bowyer split the No. 77 of Sam Hornish Jr. just in front of Kenseth while Martin Truex Jr. made a charge toward the leaders as they ran side by side.

Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch had a heated side-by-side battle not only for 13th but a Chase spot, and the two are not strangers to one another. Vickers was able to complete the pass as the younger Busch complained about his rear-end housing.

Kevin Harvick continued to creep steadily into the top five as he passed Truex Jr. for the fifth spot while Gordon continued to pull away from the field. Rebounding from his earlier accident, Sorenson ran 21st on lap 89.

Meanwhile, Kenseth continued to struggle in the back of the pack, running 29th and continuing to lose ground. He told crew chief Drew Blickensderfer he had no grip. At lap 97, Kenseth was 14 in points standings and out of the Chase.

On lap 107 debris brought out the night's fourth caution, saving Kenseth from being put a lap down. Tony Stewart was the lucky dog.

Gordon brought the field down pit road the lap following, but Waltrip was shown the leader after Kenseth drove into the No. 55 pit stall instead of his own, causing Waltrip to miss his pit as well. He would come back in and make his stop, putting Gordon back in the lead.

"My fault. I heard three (to go to stall) and I was already past it," Kenseth told his crew.

Gordon led the field to the restart on lap 114, with the top cars spreading out to run single file why 10th place and back ran consistently double file.

A good run for Casey Mears in the No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet, running 15th on lap 120 after staring 38th. Just in front of him, Vickers and the No. 9 of Kahne made contact but were able to continue without incident.

A side-by-side battle between Kurt Busch and Mark Martin helped Harvick catch the No. 2 and pass him for fifth place. While Harvick complained of a loose car to crew chief Gil Martin, Busch told his crew he was experiencing a vibration with his brakes.

A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr. were both having strong runs at lap 140, running 8th and 13th, respectively as leader Gordon began slapping cars. His teammates Martin and Johnson, meanwhile, swapped third and fourth place on lap 143.

Lapped traffic helped Hamlin once again pass the No. 24, riding right on the rear of the National Guard/Dupont Chevrolet as he tried to retake the lead.

Hamlin was relentless in his six-lap pursuit, and was running on the inside of Gordon on lap 151, completing the pass entering turn four.

With Kenseth struggling in 25th, Vickers and the younger Busch brother were left to swap 12th and 13th in points, with Busch taking the spot as he ran 7th on track on lap 164.

Debris once again brought out caution on lap 170, and again it saved Kenseth from going a lap down. David Gilliland, filling in for Robby Gordon in the No. 7 Jim Beam Toyota, was the lucky dog.

Hamlin brought the field down pit road and was beaten off pit road by Gordon by a nose. Brad Keselowski made his pit stop backwards after contact with the No. 6 of David Ragan. Montoya lost eight spots on pit road after an 18-second pit stop.

"Hey Bob, the motor just missed. The motor just missed one time," Chase hopeful Edwards told his crew under caution. He hoped the back up ignition box would keep his Chase hopes alive as they restarted on lap 181.

Hamlin again made a charge on leader Gordon, completing his pass on lap 184 while further in the pack a knot of cars battled for 10th and back.

Gordon never let the No. 11 out of his sight, and took the position on lap 189 before Hamlin began a charge on the outside before the door was slammed by the No. 24.

Again, Hamlin dove to the inside of Gordon, running side by side as third place Martin began to close in, along with fourth-place Johnson. Hamlin led lap 194 and began to pull, if ever so slightly, in front of the Hendrick brigade.

Halfway through the Chevy Rock n' Roll 400, it was Vickers with a one-point advantage in the Chase as he ran 11th on track. Meanwhile, the race between Hamlin and Gordon would not settle down, with Gordon taking the advantage as they passed halfway.

Caution came out on lap 205 for Regan Smith, who made heavy impact with the turn two wall after losing a tire. While David Stremme was the lucky dog, it was Kenseth who was once again the real winner, being saved from losing a lap.

Another close battle put Hamlin back in the lead, with Bowyer jumping into the top ten after gaining three spots on pit road. That put three Childress cars in the top ten, as Harvick ran seventh and Burton was ninth.

Hamlin was able to pull away on the lap 211 restart, while a gaggle of cars fought further back in the pack, including a heated side-by-side battle between Harvick and Kyle Busch and Kenseth and Earnhardt, Jr.

On lap 216, the No. 88 of Earnhardt Jr. got extremely loose on the outside of Kenseth ande began falling back, settling into 26th. Johnson and Kurt Busch battled up front for fourth place, with Busch taking the spot just as they hit the start/finish line.

By lap 241, Hamlin held a second lead over Gordon, as the battles came further in the pack. Hornish Jr. continued his strong run in seventh, up 27 spots from where he started in 33rd.

Earnhardt Jr. was put a lap down by Hamlin on lap 260 as they continued under the green flag. Vickers, Truex Jr. and Papis made it three-wide further in the pack as the No. 18 of Busch passed a falling Johnson, putting himself two points ahead of Vickers, who was in 13th place in points. Meanwhile, Kenseth was put a lap down on lap 268.

On lap 279, Truex Jr. and the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy brought out the night's seventh caution after losing a tire and making hard contact with the wall. Gilliland was the lucky dog.

Hamlin was unchallenged as he beat Gordon off pit road. Hornish, Jr. was the big loser, dropping three spots while Johnson gained two and Montoya moved up a spot to blank.

The green flag came out on lap 288. Vickers made a pass on Harvick for 10th on lap 290, putting him back into the Chase. Former Indy stars Montoya and Hornish, Jr. raced side by side for eighth and ninth, with Hornish, Jr. maintaining the spot.

The quiet, single-file top ten was disrupted by a Kyle Busch pass on Johnson for blank as Montoya dropped a spot to Vickers.

Three wide as Stewart tries to pass Logano and Burton. He lost eight positions on the previous pit stop, leaving him battling just inside the top 20 since the restart. Meanwhile, Bowyer continued his consistent Richmond run, as he ran fifth with just 84 laps to go.

From 18th to 21st was a gaggle of cars, as Sorenson and Earnhardt Jr. drove by the No. 31 of Burton, who lost a tire after contact with Stremme on lap 319. Because the caution was for called for the debris, Burton received the lucky dog.

Hamlin, who got no changes on his No. 11 FedEx Toyota was again unchallenged off of pit road, but it was Vickers who was the real winner, gaining three spots and coming out of the pits in front of Kyle Busch.

With 75 laps to go Bowyer and Gordon both challenged Hamlin, but contact between the No. 33 and No. 24 sent Gordon falling back in the pack to sixth.

Just a lap after the restart, a spin in the front stretch grass by Michael Waltrip brought out the ninth caution of the night. He was able to continue, and Earnhardt Jr. was the lucky dog.

Also on the restart, Vickers fell back to seventh, but maintained an eight-point lead over Kyle Busch for the final Chase spot with less than 70 laps to go.

Hamlin pulled away as they restarted on lap 333, and Bowyer lost a spot to Martin as the younger Busch challenged him for third.

Bowyer though, prevailed, and Kurt Busch also passed his younger brother. That put Rowdy and Vickers nose to bumper with 63 to go.

Busch continued to slip back, losing positions to Gordon and Johnson as the laps dwindled down and Vickers continued to run in fifth.

With 50 laps to go, pole sitter Martin began eating away at the No. 11's lead as the leaders ran single file.

Trying to make up spots, Kyle Busch raced Johnson for seventh, and despite gaining the position on a loose No. 48, Busch was still unhappy with his No. 18 Toyota as they neared 40 laps remaining.

Hamlin entered heavy lap traffic with 26 laps remaining, but his dominant car and daring moves around them kept second-place Martin at bay as he continued to lead.

Lap 380 saw the No. 09 of Keselowski lose an engine, thus bringing out the 10th caution and the leaders down pit road.

It was Busch who came out just ahead of Vickers as they came off pit road, as Hamlin again won the race out. Marcos Ambrose was the lucky dog.

Lap 386 saw Hamlin jump pull away from Martin as the No. 5 spun his tires, allowing Kurt Busch to run nose to tail with the leader.

Racing side by side just behind Martin was the younger Busch and former teammate Gordon. Beating the No. 24 to the line, he took back the 12th spot in the Chase ahead of Vickers, who was battling Hornish Jr. for seventh.

Vickers and Hornish Jr. continued to race hard as Harvick looked to pass the No. 83.

With three laps to go Vickers finally made his way around the No. 77, taking the final Chase spot from the No. 18. Meanwhile, Hamlin began putting a gap between he and Kurt Busch with a lap remaining.

Finishing fifth, Kyle Busch missed the Chase by just eight points.

"We didn't have the best of years to be consistent, but we can still look to go the rest of year to win some races and go on to next year. Let's talk about the top five finish! It was fun to race all these guys and Vickers put up a whale of a fight," Busch said.

"It was team determination. This is one race, one race of many. We picked a good night to figure this place out," an elated Vickers told ESPN. "We never would've imagined being this far along (two and a half years in)."

"I can't say enough. First of all, I'd like to thank the fans. These are the times that I get so excited! I made sure I did everything I did at Pocono. I've only worn this hat two time, I made sure I had my gold heat shields on, I had my Grandma's St. Jude key chain in there," a superstitious Hamlin said. "Just making sure I covered all bases before we raced here."

"It's gonna be a big boost for us," Hamlin said of the win going into the Chase. "They better watch us. I'm telling you, this team is dangerous."

Strong finishes for Bowyer and Hornish, Jr. who finished sixth and eighth respectively. Pole sitter Martin finished fourth, and goes into the Chase with the points lead. After their early race spin, Sorenson and Stewart finished 16th and 17th.

Your points standings going into New Hampshire next weekend:

1. Mark Martin 5040

2. Tony Stewart 5030

3. Jimmie Johnson 5030

4. Denny Hamlin 5020

5. Kasey Kahne 5020

6. Jeff Gordon 5010

7. Kurt Busch 5010

8. Brian Vickers 5010

9. Carl Edwards 5000

10. Ryan Newman 5000

11. Juan Pablo Montoya 5000

12. Greg Biffle 5000

This article also appears on SoCalSportsHub.com.

With his top five finish last week in Bristol and just two races before the race to the Chase begins, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin was looking to solidify his fourth-place points position entering Atlanta Motor Speedway.

With a victory at Pocono earlier in the year, eight top fives and 12 top 10s, Hamlin is having a quiet, successful 2009. The same can't be said for AMS, where despite a third-place finish in 2008, the driver of the No. 11 Farm Bureau Insurance Toyota held an average finish of just 16.5 coming into the first ever night race held at the track.

The first practice for Hamlin got off to a good start; he was third on the charts throughout, but struggled with comfort issues on what he called a "twitchy" car. The Joe Gibbs Racing team ran just 16 laps in Happy Hour on Saturday, where they ended the session 31st on the charts.

“We've got six or seven top fives the last ten races," Hamlin told Hermie Sadler during Race Day Built by the Home Depot. "We're coming on strong, we've just got to be a little bit better in a few more areas to be winners on a week in, week out basis.

“You're going to have to have a car that is adjustable. This race track does change quite a bit. Myself, Kurt, Jamie and Tony all tire-tested here and they came back with a tire none of us ran on. So it's tough to say what to expect, but I'm sure you're going to have to have a car that's adjustable.”

Hamlin started the Pep Boys Auto Parts 500 in 10th, and once the green flag flew he quickly found a home on the top lane and began picking up positions. Ten laps into the event, Hamlin was running eighth and steadily making his way threw the field.

The first pit stop for the leaders came on lap 37 for the first of two spins by Sam Hornish, Jr. Throughout the night the leaders, including Hamlin, took four tires and fuel, and Hamlin carried on in the top 10, coming off pit road in sixth.

Quietly, Hamlin gained a spot in the top five and another solid stop by his pit crew helped him retain it after the second set of stops on the night, coming on lap 60.

By the time the third caution of the race came out for oil on the track, Hamlin and his crew kept the No. 11 Farm Bureau Insurance Toyota in the top five, running fourth at the time.

Lap 110 was when Hamlin started making noise, roaring past Jeff Gordon in second and shooting toward his teammate, leader Kyle Busch.

Hamlin was quick to make work of his lead, but was passed by the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson on lap 128.

Retaining his second-place stop once Johnson's substantial lead was erased by caution, and stalked new leader Jeff Gordon upon the restart on lap 140.

He took the lead again lap 164, but it was short lived when a charging Kevin Harvick immediately took the lead from him.

Once green flag pit stops cycled out on lap 192, Hamlin made quick work of second-place Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and began a charge to erase the nearly six-second lead of Harvick. He was helped in his pursuit by the sixth caution of the night, and was barely beaten off pit road by the No. 29.

Spinning his tires on the lap 207 restart, Hamlin kept his No. 11 Toyota in the top three, holding third before being passed by Mark Martin to slip back to fourth on lap 278.

After Kurt Busch and Reed Sorenson caused the seventh caution of the night, Hamlin once again hit pit road with the leaders for another track bar adjustment, fuel and those all important fresh Goodyear tires. His crew also made an air pressure adjustment, and he restarted fifth on lap 273.

Even though Hamlin made it up to fourth after the restart, he would eventually fall back to sixth after Harvick and Martin passed him for fourth and fifth.

Hamlin would battle in and out of the top five, ultimately finishing sixth after he and Martin battled in the 11 lap shoot out that saw Kasey Kahne reach victory lane over Kevin Harvick.

"It was difficult, that’s for sure. It just seemed like the track had stages it went through. I’ve never seen a track change so much during the course of the race. We were the only team that maintained up front from the beginning to the end of the race. I don’t know what it was. The track changed, and it seemed like every set of tires we put on were different. It was a challenge today to just get the balance," Hamlin said after the race.

With his sixth-place finish, Hamlin goes into the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400 at Richmond knowing he's locked in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"It’s great for our whole FedEx team and Farm Bureau Insurance for coming on this weekend. It’s a pretty good accomplishment to make it four years in a row, every year that we’ve tried. I just can’t say enough for this team. If we keep running the next 11 (races) like we have these last 10 or 11, they’re going to have to watch out for us," Hamlin said.

For more information on Denny Hamlin, be sure to check out this official web site. For Jeff Burton's Lugnut Report, click here. If you'd like to read the Lugnut Report's from Bristol, click here for Jeff Gordon's and here for Reed Sorenson's.

Thanks to Paddocktalk.com for the quotes used in this article.

"It feels like we've been here a month," Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said before the start of the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.

While it hadn't been a month, rain put a damper on nearly the entire race weekend, pushing the race from Sunday to a cloudless Monday afternoon.

Last week's winner Jimmie Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon led the field to the green flag. A drag race for the lead between them instantly ensued, with Johnson getting out to an early lead.

By lap three, points leader Tony Stewart, who had to start in the back due to a practice crash, had made his way to 34th. Side by racing occurred throughout the field, the outside line prevailing during battles between Hamlin and Kurt Busch, and Biffle and the younger Busch brother, Kyle. Johnson had stretched his lead to nearly two seconds over Gordon.

However, on lap 12 Stewart began losing spots and made a pit stop thinking he had a tire going down. The No. 14 Old Spice crew found that all four tires on the car were up.

Johnson's two second lead dissolved when NASCAR threw a competition caution on lap 21. It was Denny Hamlin, though, with a 13.5 second pit stop who won the race off of pit road. The No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet fell to third.

On the outside, Hamlin led the field to the green flag on lap 26 and began pulling away fromt he field.

Bump drafting at Pocono? It was in full effect in the heated battle for ninth between the No. 18 of Kyle Busch and the No. 5 of Mark Martin; Busch passed Martin with help from Juan Pablo Montoya.

On lap 30 teammates Gordon and Johnson battled side by side for second, with Johnson passing Gordon on the inside. Further in the pack Tony Stewart was busy battling back from his lap 12 pit stop, running 33rd in the midst of traffic.

Ten laps later the field began to spread out, with Hamlin extending his lead over the No. 48 to over a second.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pits on lap 53 after dropping six spots to 19th. He believed he had a tire going down, and lost a lap right as the caution came out for Paul Menard's tire issues the following lap. The Richard Childress Racing cars of Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, who were both running in the top 15, also hit pit road under green.

The leaders once again hit pit road on lap 55 at 55 miles per hour, with Hamlin and the No. 11 Fed Ex team retained their lead. Stewart, who had stayed in 32nd spot since the previous set of stops, stayed on pit road unhooking the sway bar, among other changes, to fix his ill handling race car.

Hamlin leads them to the green flag after John Andretti pits on lap 57, but Johnson begins to close up on him while Montoya, Kahne and Kyle Busch jockey for position further back in the top ten.

Two laps after the restart, NASCAR warned Hamlin to stay in line until the green flag is thrown.

A caution light coming off caused the third caution of the day on lap 62, and Menard, who brought out the second caution was named the lucky dog.

The leaders opted to stay on track while several drivers 17th place and back, like Earnhardt, Jr., Reutimann, and a still struggling Stewart came in and made pit stops. The No. 31 of Burton was the first of the cars that pitted off of pit road.

"This race is too long," second place Johnson told his crew chief.

"Yeah, but that's good for guys like you," Chad Knaus told Johnson. He also told Johnson to start thinking about fuel.

Hamlin, staying in his outside line, took the green flag on lap 67, and a drag race started between the top two, Gordon pushing his teammate to no avail. The No. 24 would lose six spots on the restart and fall back to sixth.

Greg Biffle running 11th tagged the wall before making it three wide at the start finish line with Newman and the No. 83 of Vickers. Initially falling back, Biffle would go on to pass Vickers.

Once again the cars become spread out on lap 80. Stewart, though, had started to make up positions and found himself in 28th. While it looked as if Johnson was making ground on the leader, he fell back to a 1.4 second deficit.

The No. 24 began made a four tire stop and made a track bar adjustment. Truex, Jr. also made a stop.

On lap 89 Hamlin, Johnson and Edwards made their pit stops. The cars that pit on the earlier caution-- Reutimann, Ambrose, Kenseth, and David Ragan—all led laps before making pit stops. By lap 96 Hamlin retook the lead ahead of Johnson, Edwards and Stewart, who had yet to pit. Kahne rounded out the top five.

The fourth caution of the day came out on lap 96 for the No. 96 of Bobby Labonte; Stewart was on pit road, took four tires, and restarted in seventh.

Kasey Kahne didn't pit, along with the six cars behind him (Stewart didn't pit with the leaders), and took the leader when they went green on lap 102. Hamlin, Gordon, and Edwards made it three wide for position.

The running order as it shakes out is Kahne, Reutimann, and Kenseth as the top three. Johnson restarted 18th, and gained a couple of spots when he made it three wide with rookie Joey Logano and teammate Mark Martin.

An absolutely crazy couple of laps after the restart as drivers went two and three wide for position.

Former leader Johnson falls back from 18th to 26th, bringing his car down on pit road on lap 106. He then told the crew "I'm starting to blow the engine right now." His crew opened the hood but sent the car back out on track. The No. 48 stayed in front of Kahne, though, remaining on the lead lap.

He was lapped on lap 110, and continued to lose speed. Johnson told his crew he believed something was wrong with the carburetor.

Kahne meanwhile had a 1.5 second lead over second place Reutimann; because of pit strategy Amrbose and David Ragan cracked the top ten. The Stewart Haas Racing teammates of Newman and Stewart ran ninth and tenth.

NASCAR warned Johnson and the No. 48 team that he needed to pick up speed or he would be black flagged.

Things were quiet up front, but anything but for the No. 18 of Busch, who dropped three positions to Harvick, Montoya and David Stremme.

Hamlin passed Reutimann for second on lap 121, and began a charge to become the race leader for the the third time.

On lap 127 Jamie McMurray began green flag pit stops with a four time stop. Leader Kahne and Reutimann also made his pit stops. That put Hamlin back into the lead.

On lap 132 Ambrose, Kyle Busch, Stewart, Earnhardt, Jr. and Newman pit. The following lap Hamlin, Gordon and Edwards were among the leaders that pit.

After leader Harvick made a pit stop on lap 133, Kahne retook the lead ahead of Hamlin, Reutimann, Kurt Busch and Kenseth.

On lap 138 Hamlin began a charge for the lead, passing him after a side by side battle on lap 139.

The fifth caution of the race came out on lap 142 when the No. 6 UPS Ford of David Ragan made contact with the wall. Paul Menard received the lucky dog for the third time.

Before pit road opened, Johnson came in so his crew could go under the hood of his car. The No. 48 was already two laps down.

Tire strategy came into play when the leaders hit pit road; Hamlin, Edwards, Kurt Busch, Gordon, Biffle, Kenseth, Harvick and Kyle Busch elected to take just two tires while Kahne took four. He fell nine spots because of the decision.

Johnson came in for a second time to change the carburetor. Martin, Vickers, Jeff Burton and Sam Hornish, Jr. all stayed on track.

Martin, who started on the outside, took the green flag on lap on lap 146.

Another crazy restart as drivers like Montoya, Newman and Allmendinger make the racing three wide. Kenseth, Earnhardt, Jr. and Kyle Busch also made things three wide for the twelth position.

Threading the needle, Kahne, who restarted 13th, passed Harvick and Hornish, Jr. in the middle for eighth.

On lap 148 Robby Gordon spins and brings out the sixth caution. The No. 12 of Stremme also made contact with Gordon.

With fifty laps left in the race the leaders elected to stay out. Johnson made two pit stops; one to change several plugs in the engine, and another for forgetting a hood pin. Because of that, Johnson wasn't awarded the lucky dog.

Leader Martin took the green flag on lap 153. A lap later Kurt Busch took the lead for the first time during the race, and began jumping out to a substantial lead.

Robby Gordon, who blamed David Stremme for his earlier incident, was spun out by the No. 12 to bring out the day's seventh caution on lap 157.

"Hm... that might get a trip to the truck," commentator Dale Jarrett said. And he was close; both cars involved were given a five lap penalty for their actions.

Earnhardt, Jr., Logano and Stewart were among the twenty cars to hit pit road under the caution. On lap 162 Busch took the green flag on yet another crazy restart. Hamlin, who ran sixth on the restart, was going to come in on that past caution; he felt he had a problem.

On lap 166 caution came out again for debris in turn three. Earnhardt, Jr. and Stewart came off pit road first by taking fuel only, but several cars, including Montoya and Bowyer, pit before the caution came out, and it was Bowyer who stayed out and took the lead. Hamlin lost four spots on pit road by taking four tires.

Bowyer and second place Scott Speed took the green flag with thirty laps to go. Montoya began his charge to take the lead as the No. 20 of Logano pits for a flat tire.

On lap 173 Kyle Busch got all bent out of shape and hit the wall, but kept going. Gordon and Edwards, 12th and 13th, continued to trade barbs.

Big trouble on lap 174 when Reutimann and Ambrose, who was running in the top ten, crash. Hamlin got into the back of Reutimann, who collected an innocent Ambrose. A ton of debris was left on the track.

Oh, and the lucky dog? Jimmie Johnson, which put him back on the lead lap.

Bowyer was told he would be good to go on fuel, while several cars in the back of the pack, including Kyle Busch who had damage on the right side of his No. 18 Toyota, pit for tires.

On lap 179 Bowyer took the green flag, and an absolutely drag race between he and Montoya followed. The two ran side by side, but a bump from Hornish pushed Bowyer ot the lead.

Montoya fell to fifth after going three wide with Kenseth and Kahne.

Pocono had it's version of the "Big One"; with just 20 laps to go when the No. 6 car of Ragan rammed into the back of Bobby Labonte. The cars of Sorenson, Waltrip and Logano were also collected in the melee, the hardest hit being Labonte but he was okay.

Sorenson and Labonte both went to the garage, while Logano stayed on track and made several pit stops for repairs.

"I know we can win the freakin' race, but if it means wrecking the car, it's not gonna happen," Montoya told crew chief Brian Patti under caution. Montoya got a tire rub and damage on the front of his car while he raced with Bowyer on the previous pit stop.

Bowyer chose once again to start on the outside as the cars came to the green with thirteen laps to go.

An absolutely crazy restart ensues; as Bowyer pulls out Kenseth made it three wide on the inside of Kahne, who makes contact with Montoya.

The No. 42 saves his car though, and the racing somewhat settles down. Johnson, who had engine problems early in the race and got two lucky dog awards, passed Kyle Busch for 19th.

With eleven laps to go Hamlin closed in on Bowyer with Montoya in toe while Kurt Busch and Gordon continue to battle for eleventh.

Hamlin went to the inside of Bowyer, making contact before taking the lead, but Montoya stayed within reach of both cars.

Montoya then took second from Bowyer with nine laps to go after Bowyer got loose, and set his sites on the leader.

Despite his hard charging, there was nothing Montoya could do as Hamlin put a second distance between the two of them with just four laps to go.

The last time Hamlin was in Pocono, he had trouble on the very first lap, and finished 22 laps down in 38th. Today, redemption as Hamlin took the checkered flag.

"We come close in a lot of races this year and came up short. Definitely had some angels with us today," a tearful Hamlin said. Hamlin, visibly emotional lost his grandmother earlier in the week.

"I'm just thinking of my mom right now," he said, before burying his face into a towel.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who finished 11th after dominating last week at the Brickyard, came home second. Bowyer came home third, and is now 115 points out of making the Chase.

A nice surprise was Sam Hornish, Jr. who ended the race fourth. Another was Jimmie Johnson, who went from three laps down to finishing 13th, and Stewart, who ran in the thirties for much of the afternoon, finished top ten.

Tony Stewart gained five points on Johnson, leading him by 197 points. Fifth through 12th changed hands; Hamlin, Kenseth, Montoya and Kahne all gained spots while Martin, Biffle, and Kenseth lost spots. Kyle Busch remains out of the Chase, and is 101 points out of the final Chase spot.

This article also appears on SoCalSportsHub.com and FanZoneSports.net.

Race No. 18 of the 2009 Sprint Cup Series schedule brought the world’s 43 best drivers back to where it all began six months ago: Daytona, the epicenter of stockcar racing.

Nine races to go before the Chase to the Cup Championship, and 25 years after “The King” Richard Petty’s historic 200th career victory, nothing less than fireworks would be accepted from the fans in attendance for the Coke Zero 400.

Rain on Friday rained out qualifying, so points leader Tony Stewart started on pole for the third time this season.

Greg Biffle and Sam Hornish, Jr. started in the back thanks to a wreck during Thursday night’s practice. The No. 00 of David Reutimann also went to the back because of an engine change.

Three lead changes occurred in the first four laps; second place starter Jeff Gordon led the first lap, Stewart the second, and Denny Hamlin, who started sixth, took the lead on lap four. Gordon would fall back to 26th after losing the lead.

Mark Martin brought out the first caution when, on lap 13, he slid across the nose of former teammate Matt Kenseth's No. 17 DeWalt Ford. Juan Pablo Montoya also received minimal damage.

It wouldn't be the last time former teammates got together.

The first pit stops of the day saw the No. 14 Burger King crew put their driver back into the lead. They would have phenomenal pit stops throughout the event.

With Stewart remaining in the lead, the second yellow flag of the day came out when David Stremme and Casey Mears got together.

After the leaders hit pit road, Stewart maintained the lead over former teammate Hamlin, Kenseth, Robby Gordon, and Richard Petty Motorsports' Elliot Sadler. However, a lap after they took the green, Hamlin passed Stewart for the lead. He would lead a total of 62 laps but would be passed by Stewart on lap 38 when he became the lone car in the outside lane.

Debris from Hornish, Jr., who cut a right rear tire, brought out the third caution. Ryan Newman stayed out to lead a lap, but it was Kenseth who would lead them to the green on lap 62.

Going back to the outside, Hamlin would retake the lead thanks to drafting help from Kyle Busch, who was followed by Stewart. Kenseth fell back to seventh during the 15-lap run.

Daytona's infamous "Big One" struck on lap 75 when David Stremme again found himself crashing into the wall. Thirteen cars (Stremme, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Reed Sorenson, David Reutimann, Clint Bowyer, David Gilliland, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, and Jamie McMurray) were involved in the incident.

Harvick and Gordon made repairs on pit road. Earnhardt, Jr. was forced to take his No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet to the garage.

“Couple of guys got together, and I just tried to stay high. The (No.) 00 was crossed up and tore the upper A frame up. It was a tough race for us,” Earnhardt, Jr. said. He would end up finishing 39th.

Eight laps of cleanup saw the leaders pit, and Stewart once again assumed the lead after John Andretti (who had stayed out to lead a lap) pitted. Hamlin, though, would once again take advantage of the high line and take the lead.

On lap 102, after a 19-lap green flag run, Reutimann brought out the race's fifth caution. Robby Gordon would stay out to lead a lap, but thanks to another great pit stop, Stewart would take the lead for the sixth time.

Stewart, Hamlin, and Busch ran in the top five nearly the entire race.

Once again trying to pass on the high side would come back to bite Hamlin, who ended up falling all the way to 10th.

Kurt Busch and David Ragan made contact to bring out caution on lap 121. Once again Stewart kept the lead.

Carl Edwards and Jeff Burton would each take a turn at the lead before ultimately relinquishing it to Stewart. Burton lost a tire shortly after losing the lead.

After being involved in the first caution on lap 13, the No. 42 of Montoya rebounded and was running in the top five. Kahne, who was caught up in Daytona's "Big One," ran 15th. It was a strong run for the Petty cars, two of whom finished in the top 15. A.J. Allmendinger finished 16th.

Debris brought out caution on lap 145, allowing the No. 14 crew to once again show their stuff and keep their driver in the lead.

Three laps after the green flag waved, the yellow flag came back out after Scott Speed hit the wall. The incident also collected Allmendinger and McMurray, who both received minimal damage. It would also set up a four-lap dash to the finish.

And a dash—and crash—it would prove to be.

With one lap to go, Kyle Busch, with help from teammate Hamlin, took the lead from Stewart. However, after being dumped by drafting partner Jimmie Johnson, Hamlin fell back behind Busch and Stewart.

As the checkered flag was about to be raised, Johnson bump-drafted Stewart, sending him to the bumper of the No. 18.

Stewart went for the cross over, and after Busch tried to block him, he was clipped by the No. 14, sending him spinning into the wall.

Busch then slammed into the hood of the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge of Kahne, who pushed the Interstate Batteries Toyota to its 14th place finish. The wreck also collected Allmendinger, Burton, and Joey Logano.

"The fireworks are going off in the sky, but the fireworks on the racetrack are even bigger," commentator Ralph Sheheen said as Busch climbed from his car.

Busch, who declined to talk to the media after the race, was released from the infield care center despite rumors he would be held overnight for observation.

"I don't know that I was real proud of that, but I don't know what else I could've done," Stewart said in Victory Lane. "I don't like winning like that. If I did something wrong, I'm sorry. But I don't think I did."

The only change in Chase positions were Juan Pablo Montoya, thanks to a ninth place finish, who moved up to 11th, and Kahne, who moved into the Chase in 12th. Mark Martin is now 65 points out of the Chase with eight races remaining until the cutoff in Richmond. 

This article also appears on SoCalSportsHub.com

Joey Logano only got into major NASCAR racing in May of 2008. Yet, everyone knew he would eventually find stardom in the Sprint Cup Series…in time. It seemed that 2010 would be the season in which he would make the jump, after a little more than a year and a half in the Nationwide Series.

Of course, that all changed when Tony Stewart announced he was leaving to join Haas-CNC Racing, re-naming it Stewart Haas Racing.

Joe Gibbs needed a driver for the No. 20 car. Even though it meant bringing him up a year earlier than anticipated, the team put then 18-year-old Logano in the car.

Was it before he was ready? Yes, and everyone, including Logano, admitted to it. But, in reality, this move was the one that made the most sense. He was the highest ranked Gibbs development driver at the time, and bringing in a veteran to fill the gap for a year wouldn’t have been fair, since that seat would likely have been Logano’s in 2010.

It was an opportunity that Logano admitted he couldn’t pass up, even if he did feel he wasn’t ready to move into the Sprint Cup Series. The experience would come and he would eventually learn the ropes; it would just take time, which the Gibbs team was prepared to give him.

While driving the No. 20 car was the opportunity of a lifetime, it also put incredible pressure on Logano (as if is his nickname “Sliced Bread” and immediate success in every other series he ran in didn’t already do that).

What if he didn’t run well early on? What if his inexperience showed and he failed to finish races? What if he had trouble giving Greg Zipadelli feedback about the car?

His results through the first few months reflect the struggles he had transitioning into the series. He had no finishes in the Top 10 through the first eight races, and only one in the Top 15. A tough start, right?

Not exactly. Remember, Logano’s goal in the opening half of the season was just to gain experience and learn how to drive a Sprint Cup car. The results would come, but not in the first of the season (or they weren’t likely to come at least).

Gain experience was exactly what Logano did. He only has two DNFs to his name this year (neither of which his own doing). He even managed to run well in his restrictor-plate debut during Speedweeks (he finished in the Top Five in his Duel race).

Plus, even in the races he failed to finish, he still ran a great many laps. His Daytona crash ended coming at about the halfway point (when you factor in the rain that eventually shortened the race), and he ran all but 13 laps at Bristol (where he blew a motor).

As far as gaining experience and learning the cars, this first half of the season has been a banner year for Logano and the No. 20. Their success is made all the more impressive given the failures of Scott Speed (the only other Rookie of the Year candidate) and the No. 82 Red Bull team.

That group has failed to qualify for three races (though he was placed in Joe Nemecheck's car in two of them) and is mired back in 36th in the owner standings (Speed ranks 35th in the drivers’ standings). And this is with a driver who came from the “superior” series of Formula 1.

What’s more, Logano has earned the respect of his peers, many of whom congratulated him on his victory yesterday. As important as it is to run well, gaining the respect of the other competitors may be more important.

Logano has paid his dues, hasn’t done anything stupid, and has his fellow competitors’ respect, which says a lot about the person he is.

Is Joey still learning as he goes? Absolutely. He is still a rookie, and will continue to gain experience and get better as the year goes. That much, though, should make his competitors nervous through the end of this season and into next season.

He’ll now be heading to tracks he has been to before in a Sprint Cup car (aside from Indianapolis and Watkins Glen). With that knowledge to draw from, his runs should improve, or I expect them to at least (though he did run relatively well in the first of the year, when he was simply learning the cars and tracks).

What lies ahead for Logano this year? Obviously, a Chase berth is out of the question; he’s too far back. But more wins could be in the cards, especially now that he doesn’t have to worry about the question of “When are you going to win?” He already has!

And, I’ll make a prediction about next year right now.

Given the rate of improvement he has shown this year, I would not be surprised at all if he makes next year’s Chase…and I’ll go out on a limb and say he will.

Joey Logano entered the sport with unseen potential, but also with many lingering questions about whether or not he could handle the Cup Series at such a young age. Not only is he handling it, but he is acquitting himself faster than many believed, and looks to be assuring himself as a future star of the sport. 

Sure, the winner of Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 only led for 10 circuits and took command of the race lead by virtue of crew chief Greg Zipadelli's gamble.

Yes, this driver got "lucky" and "stole" the race away from front-runners Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, and Jimmie Johnson, who all had stout machines capable of winning at "The Magic Mile."

And again, rain ruined what was otherwise shaping out to be a competitive race at the 1.058-mile paperclip oval in Loudon, NH.

But for those who feel that an asterisk should be placed next to 19-year-old Joey Logano's name in the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins list, such complaining should come to a crashing halt.

While I sympathize with those who may have been unhappy with Sunday's finish, which fell 28 laps shy of its scheduled distance, fans need to remember that wits and luck are factors that play into a win.

How many times in previous races, whether it's in the NASCAR ranks, the IndyCar series, or even the sports car divisions of the Grand American Racing series, where the best cars often fall short of a victory?

It is often like the old fable of the tortoise and the hare, where of course, the fastest animal did not win their spirited race.

Logano and his team, primarily by the genius strategy made by Zipadelli, found themselves at the right place at the right time when Mother Nature was going to have her say in who'd win Sunday's race.

The 19-year-old freshman driver, who's steadily improved in the past few races, has shown a remarkable turnaround behind the wheel.

No longer apt to just pushing the car to its limits and banging fenders with his peers on the track, Logano has learned the art of patience, and it has shown with a trio of ninth-place finishes at Talladega, Darlington, and Lowe's. Certainly, those are not tracks for the faint hearted.

Many expected the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry team to improve over the course of 2009 with a collection of top five and top 10 finishes to boot for this rookie contender.

But a win? Most definitely not. "Sliced Bread," you ain't got stuff to run with the big boys...

Well, this kid, with a solid team and plan, outfoxed the field for one day.

As a result, the No. 20 team finds themselves sitting 21st in points, which is a remarkable showing when you consider how horrendous their performances and finishes were earlier in the year.

For those who won't admit that Logano deserved the win, just think of how many times your driver won a race by luck.

In baseball, you have the sacrifice fly or bunt that more than often results in a costly out over an improbable victory.

But when all other avenues of strategy are limited at best, as the manager of the trailing team, you have no choice but to go against the odds.

Think Boston Red Sox winning in an unlikely Mother's Day game in 2007 against the Baltimore Orioles. Who "woulda thunkit?"

In the NBA, a two-plus possession lead with a minute left in the game can leave the losing team in either knots or with excitement with the chance to tie or win the game.

Again, you have to rely on luck, with your defense coming through with steals and the offense shooting on fire.

Buffalo Bills fans need not be reminded of how a sure-fire thing isn't always exactly in the cards with wins.

From Scott Norwood's missed field goal attempt in Super Bowl XXV to the Music City Miracle in the 1999-'00 NFL playoffs against the Tennessee Titans, fans of this team know that luck definitely factors into victories.

In the same token, motorsports, and especially with NASCAR, gambles are often the last-resort option that competitors have if they are going for the wins, not points. A safe driver would be thrilled to heck with a top-five or top-10 finish, and why not?

That results to cash, television time for your sponsors, and exposure to fans across the country about your stout efforts.

Equally as memorable, but perhaps more discussed, are those who go for the win. I'm talking about those who would find the Captain Kirk in them to risk all to defeat "the enemy."

In this case, Logano and the Home Depot team defied convention and opted to play the odds against the rain.

The result?

• A very ecstatic teenaged rookie in Logano, who's got to feel like he's on top of the world right now.
  

• A crew chief in the form of Zipadelli, whose brilliance has ushered in the start of many victories for another NASCAR talent

• And a team owner in Joe Gibbs, who has got to be gleaming over the success of yet another icon-in-the-making.
  

Congrats, Joey on your well-calculated, played out, and deserving win.

Enjoy this one—and many more in the coming years ahead!

"I guess we'd rather be lucky than good right now."

In his No. 20 Home Depot Toyota, in his 20th NASCAR Sprint Cup start, and a year short of his 20th birthday, Joey Logano won his first—ever race during the rain-shortened Lenox Industrial Tools 301.

Starting 24th, Logano gave Joe Gibbs Racing its fourth win at New Hampshire, and became the second driver this year to collect his first win in a rain-shortened event.

He's also the second driver to win his first-ever Cup race in the June Loudon race, after Ryan Newman did it all the way back in 2002.

In 2002, Joey was 12.

The win, though, didn't come without hardships. Logano narrowly avoided New Hampshire's version of the "big one" on lap 175 when Kyle Busch ran into the back of Martin Truex, Jr. during the restart.

The wreck also collected Kevin Harvick, David Reutimann, Casey Mears, Jeff Burton, Brian Vickers, David Ragan and Jamie McMurray.

He still couldn't avoid a flat tire on lap 183.  

"I don't know what to say right now," the 19-year-old Middletown, Conn., native said.

"I never thought I'd win here. We had the same opportunity to do this at Charlotte, and we didn't do it," he said. "This is a dream come true. This is the best racetrack this could happen at."

Logano said winning just three hours from his hometown made his first win "that much more special."

The rain-shortened race also helped Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron's team, who finished fourth after also not pitting before the rains came. Adding to his top ten count was Sam Hornish, Jr. who finished eighth.

Kasey Kahne, last week's winner at Sonoma, backed up his win with a 10th-place finish.

His Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Reed Sorenson, who ran consistently in the top ten all weekend in practice, finished 17th.

"I apologize to all the guys who got damage in that melee there, that's not how it was supposed to happen," seventh-place Kyle Busch said, speaking of the lap 175 wreck that damaged nine cars.

Busch also went on to say he believed Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun his tires.

"It's a super day for me," Hornish said. He went on to say his team "wanted to run longer" but had a great finish compared to last season, where they finished four laps down.

Championship leader Tony Stewart is now 69 points ahead of Jeff Gordon.

Denny Hamlin, who finished 15th, traded points positions with 29th place Ryan Newman, as did seventh—and—18th-place finishers Kyle Busch and Greg Biffle.

Kahne is just one point behind 12th place in the Chase (Juan Pablo Montoya).

After Cup qualifying was cancelled due to a downpour of rain and wind, the sun came back out at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Camping World Series East drivers and teams scrambled to the track to get ready for their race, the Heluva Good 125.

Ryan Truex, winner of the last East series race at Watkins Glen, looked particularly strong at New Hampshire. Truex, in his NAPA No. 00, secured the pole with a great qualifying run. Truex was also the fastest in practice and seemed to be the car to beat.

But in the final lap, Truex ended up in an epic battle with Matt DiBenedetto, the development driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven car. Truex looked like he would almost coast to another victory, stretching out his lead against DiBenedetto.

But DiBenedetto battled back, getting right on the back bumper of Truex's car. His move got Truex just loose enough for DiBenedetto to pull along side.

The two race cars actually touched, allowing DiBenedetto to pull into the lead and take the checkered flag. The finish was not without controversy, with both teams tussling with each other at the race's end.

Truex was the first to come to the media center. He appeared completely frazzled and unhappily shared his perspective on the race finish.

"Well, coming off of two, I seen he got a run on me and he dumped it inside a little bit so I kind of blocked him a little bit," said Truex of DiBenedetto. "He drove into the back of me, but that's fine, that's alright," he added, a bit sarcastically.

"I knew he'd do that if I blocked him but then I got back off him to get in the corner, he never let off the gas. We were side by side coming off four, and he decided to run up into me again."

Truex seemed to summarize his feelings about the race's ending by saying, "So, I don't know what else to say."

After Truex safely exited the media center, race winner DiBenedetto entered for his post-race interview. DiBenedetto and his parents were beaming from ear to ear with the race win.

DiBenedetto shared that he has been pretty satisfied with the car, from unloading to practice to qualifying.

"Today the car was a little on the tight side, but on our pit stop, we made an adjustment, freed it up and helped it a little bit," said DiBenedetto.

DiBenedetto admitted that at the end of the race he found something a little different.  He began running the high line, which enabled him to catch back up to Truex for the race finish.

Of Truex, DiBenedetto said, "he tried to pull the block on me and that's totally acceptable." 

"In turn three, I ran into him a little bit," DiBenedetto continued. "All in all it was a great finish."

And with the understatement of the race, he concluded, "it was a great show for the fans."

DiBenedetto's previous win was at Tri-County Speedway in April. He also took the pole at Watkins Glen.

DiBenedetto is currently running a six race deal with Joe Gibbs Racing. He is looking forward to running the East races and then making his Nationwide debut in Memphis on October 24th.

"They're giving me a great opportunity", said DiBenedetto of Joe Gibbs Racing. He also has been doing some testing for the team.

This is DiBenedetto's second win in his fourth career start in the Camping World Series East season.

DiBenedetto's proud mom and dad were also in the media center, celebrating their son's victory. 

Of the race end, DiBendetto's mother confided, "I couldn't see that part of the track from where I was sitting so I was listening on the radio and I was just thinking, 'I know Matt can do it.'"

The proud mother could not say enough about Joe Gibbs Racing. "That team is just phenomenal," she said.

She said that JGR had been watching DiBenedetto for a couple of years and then made the offer to sign him as a development driver. "They gave him a shot just on talent," said his mother. "It has been a real honor."

DiBenedetto and his family are from California, but they have moved their family to North Carolina to further his career. "It's his dream," said DiBenedetto's mother. "It's been his dream to be a race car driver since kindergarten."

DiBenedetto's father could barely talk about the race finish, choking up with pride over his son's accomplishment. "I'll cry if I tell you how proud I am", said Mr. DiBenedetto.

Both parents admitted they knew little of racing before their son's involvement. Neither were race fans, but they have been quickly converted to the sport.

"We believe in him," said both parents of their young racer son. "He's just proven over and over again that he can do it."

DiBenedetto did indeed prove he could do it, edging out Truex to bring home the hardware in one of the most exciting finishes of the East series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Other East series regulars did not fare as well. Points leader Brett Moffitt, young protege of Andy Santerre Motorsports, was the first caution of the race. 

Moffitt had a tire go down, spun and did major damage to the car. The crew tried valiantly to fix it, but Moffitt ended up in a wrecked race car at the end of pit road.

Matt Kobyluck, past champion of the East Series, also looked strong throughout most of the race. He got caught up in a late-race incident and the damage was significant enough to push him back in the pack to finish in the eleventh spot.

Tiffany Daniels, one of the young up-and-coming females driving for Bobby Hamilton, Jr., had a miserable day, lagging in the back for most of the race. She finally spun out on Lap 105, hitting hard into the pit wall.

Chase Mattioli, grandson of the owners of the Pocono Raceway, also had a miserable day.  He had contact, damage, and finished in the 26th position.

The top ten finishers in the Heluva Good 125 were as follows:

1.   Matt DiBenedetto

2.   Ryan Truex

3.   Kevin Swindell

4.   Ryan Gifford

5.   Jody Lavendar

6.   Eddie MacDonald

7.   Alan Tardiff

8.   Jesus Hernandez

9.   Patrick Long

10.  Steve Park

Another wet weekend which cancelled qualifying, eliminating a needed practice on Friday. NASCAR spent most of the weekend explaining, describing the new double-file restart. See how it all shook out at the tricky triangle in the Pocono Mountains.

Winners

Tony Stewart

We knew this was going to happen at some point, but Pocono historically has not been Stewart's best track. But nothing for Stewart in 2009 has been the norm. It took a major fuel gamble to win this race, but you win them the way you can.

Stewart, who has been up or at the front in nearly every race this season, had to start from the back after a crash in practice forced them to a backup car, they quickly moved forward taking the lead and running away from the field.

Stewart conserved in every way he could from coasting, to turning the engine on and off to save fuel.

This is such a huge win for this bunch, with many of the crewman holdovers from the former Haas Automation has never been to victory circle.

Congrats to Stewart and crew as they win their first race as SHR.

Points: First

 

Carl Edwards

Everyone has been wondering why Edwards hasn’t won a race this year. After dominating last season, Edwards has been searching for whatever they have been missing in 2009. Pocono came at perfect time for this team.

They ran up front all day long. Edwards had what was numerous times described as a perfect race car. They short pitted all day long working the race backwards.

Edwards needed this finish even if it wasn’t a win after struggling early on this season, as strong finish could be the exactly what this team needs to go to Victory Lane soon.

They finished a well earned second.

Edwards has been struggling but they coasted to a good finish.

Points: Sixth

Marcos Ambrose

As I was watching the race I kept double checking to see if Ambrose was on the lead lap, but that he was. Surprisingly he ran there throughout the day.

They stayed on top of the car all day long conserved fuel and found their best finish of 2009 in sixth.

This team continues to surprise me. They weren’t really talked about as a true contender, but they have quietly put together a great first 14 races.

Ambrose likes panning for gold, he might just find himself in Victory Lane this year.

Points: 18th

Casey Mears

Last week Mears was in my lucky dog position. This week, Mears is on my winners list. Mears had a strong car all weekend long. Something we have not seen from this team all year long. Mears and his team worked on their car and stayed on top of the adjustments.

They were able to finish a strong 14th, a strong and well needed run. Mears seemed to have benefited from Richard Childress switching crew chiefs with Kevin Harvick. He recently has seen improvement of equipment and their finishes are showing that.

While Harvick has continued to free fall, Mears has been moving up the standings within the last month.

Points: 21st

Jeff Gordon

Well it started off good, and then it got worse, and then it got better. Gordon didn’t have the best car out there all day, but this team is showing resiliency. Gordon complained all day long that he was too tight.

They couldn’t get all three corners hooked up but not many did. They gambled on staying out during a caution hoping a rain shower would put them up front for good.  Unfortunately for Gordon he was forced to pit with one to go to the green.

The move proved to pay off as some were forced to pit they had just enough fuel to secure another top five finish with a fourth.

This was a good finish for a team that in the last couple weeks have been struggling they showed they are able to rebound after a tough finish last week.

They may be struggling but this team is still very consistent each week at the track.

Points: Second

Losers

Joe Gibbs Racing

Denny Hamlin didn’t even hit the start finish line when the green flag waved and electrical problems ended their day. They finished 38th.

They can’t seem to bite the bad luck. They haven’t won since last March, and if they want to be a championship contender they have to find a way to persevere through the rough patches.

Hamlin and crew chief need to get on the same page and fast or their chase chances will disappear.

Points: 12th

Kyle Busch, who won last night in Nashville never saw the front of the field. He struggled all day long with handling issues and fought to battle back. They didn’t win the fuel mileage battle and finished a disappointing 22nd place.

The difference between last year and this year is last year they dominated, this year they are streaky and that may not win them a championship.

Points: Ninth

Joey Logano had never seen Pocono coming into this weekend. One less practice on Friday, Logano won the ARCA race on Saturday, and getting two practices in on Saturday. His inexperience at this track hurt him on Sunday.

They struggled all day long and saw their strings of top 15 finishes come to end on Sunday with a 23rd.

They were never a factor, but a good sign is Logano can apply what he learned here today for when they come back in early August.

Points: 25th

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Well the honeymoon is over, and that was fast. They looked good early in the weekend during practice. But unlike last week, weren't unable to translate that on Sunday. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t run much better than they did.

Unlike his teammates, who are able to rebound most of the time when they struggle, Earnhardt is unable to do that and that and that usually ends their day. They really need to turn this around even though the Chase is out of question; they still need to compete better.

Who you going to blame for today’s poor finish of 27th?

Points 20th

Lucky Dog…

Michael Waltrip had a great finish of 17th today. He ran well within the top 20 all day long and was able to work on the car to make it better; something this team hasn’t done well this year.

Points: 32nd

Regan Smith is perfect! In every race he has entered and qualified for, Smith has finished. To bring their car back to the shop in one piece every time they run is key to building a program and not having to replace cars.

Points: 38th

Sam Hornish Jr. looks like the light is on for this guy. He has some great runs in recent weeks and is showing some great improvement let’s hope his 10th-place finish is a sign of bigger things to come.

Points: 23rd

Final Lap…

We immediately saw how double-file restarts would work. For some guys it helped them, for others it hurt them.

It will take more than one race to get the hang of it and figure out all the quirks. But the race was fun and enjoyable to watch.

The leader wasn’t pulling away before the field hit the start-finish line and there were some great battles throughout the pack and that was refreshing to see.

I was so excited to see Stewart pull off the victory; in a short amount of time they took a organization that struggled to make races and contend just a year ago to victory circle.

It’s fun when a team wins for the first time whether it is a driver or crew members. They are like kids again, jumping and screaming and enjoying the moment. That’s what racing is all about!

See you in Michigan!!