Sun Mar 30 18:32:12 2008

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Hometown fans happy with Hamlin win

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Martinsville, VA (Sports Network) - Virginian Denny Hamlin's pit strategy forced him to work his way back from 19th place, but the third-year driver took his time and captured Sunday's Goody's Cool Orange 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. The No.11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver crossed the finish line 0.398 seconds ahead of pole winner Jeff Gordon.

The victory was Hamlin's first of the season and fourth of his Sprint Cup career.

Hamlin pitted from the lead on lap 214 (of 500) while the rest of the field remained out thinking it might be a rain-shortened event. It left him in the middle of the pack and it took almost 200 laps to make it back to the leaders. But when he did, his Toyota was more than they could handle and Hamlin sliced his way into the lead. He was never challenged over the final laps.

"A lot of these people traveled from my hometown to watch me race," said Hamlin, who hails from nearby Chesterfield, VA. "It's amazing to see the support we have from these race fans, they are the reason we are here."

"I think they saw a great Martinsville race," said runner up Gordon. "A lot of great lead changes, pit strategy, bumping and banging and all the great action that happens here."

Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart completed the top-five.

Other drivers of note and their unofficial finishing positions: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (sixth), Jamie McMurray (eighth), Carl Edwards (ninth), Clint Bowyer (10th), Kevin Harvick (12th), Juan Montoya (13th) Kasey Kahne (17th) and Ryan Newman (19th).

Gordon and Hamlin fought side-by-side for the first two laps, but when Gordon won that battle he took control. The No.24 Chevrolet led through the first caution flag (caused by Kurt and Kyle Busch). The leaders stayed out while some of the back part of the field stopped for fuel.

Gordon was still the leader, but his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson, winner of the last three Martinsville races, was moving up. He was 10th on the starting grid and passed Hamlin for fourth on lap 31. Four laps later he got around David Ragan for third place.

Gordon and the lead group finally pitted on lap 43 after a spin brought out the day's second caution flag. The No.24 returned to the track the leader of the group who pitted, but 10th on the track.

Gordon was working his way back through the field, but in front of him Aric Almirola and Bobby Labonte came together and Gordon suffered some front-end damage when he had no where to go to avoid the incident.

Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the race leader with Casey Mears and Johnson just behind him. They were still the top-three as the field passed the 100-lap mark.

By lap 102 Johnson slipped past "Junior" for the lead and five bonus points. In the middle of the field, Gordon was answering the question about his car - he was already up to 20th after restarting 31st.

Johnson, Earnhardt Jr. and Mears were one-two-three at lap 146, but Gordon was coming - breaking into the top-10. Also coming was rain. It looked questionable as to whether they would complete all 500 laps.

Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. were slowly working their way through lapped traffic and "Junior" found a better way passing Johnson on lap 162 for the lead. Gordon was up to seventh. By lap 179 Gordon slid under Burton for fourth place.

Finally after the long green-flag run a debris caution sent everyone down pit lane for four new tires and fuel. Johnson beat Earnhardt Jr. off pit lane with Hamlin and Gordon third and fourth, respectively.

On lap 195 Hamlin got inside Earnhardt Jr. for second place and Gordon followed him through to take third. Hamlin was faster than Johnson and on lap 208 slid below Johnson and took the lead.

Hamlin pitted from the lead on caution flag No.9 at lap 214, returning Johnson to the lead and giving Gordon second place. With rain possible, most of the leaders stayed out as reaching lap 250 would make it an official race. Hamlin was forced to restart in 19th place.

At the mid-point, Johnson was the leader, ahead of Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon. The three Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets had led 239 of 250 laps. Lap 260 saw a caution flag which sent everyone down pit lane. Again Johnson and Gordon showed the way off pit lane.

Two laps after the green flag dropped Gordon went right around Johnson for the lead.

On lap 282, pre-race points leader Kyle Busch turned into the garage with a rear end gear problem. And a wreck on lap 291 involved Newman, Kurt Busch and Johnson among others leaving the No.48 Chevy in 24th place.

After the caution, Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevy was working well and he took the lead from Gordon as the field passed the 300-lap mark. But Gordon didn't go away and kept working on the inside of "Junior" before Matt Kenseth slammed the wall to bring out caution flag No.15.

The rain seemed to be heading away from the track and it now appeared as if they would get all 500 laps completed.

Three hundred and fifty laps completed and it was still Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon one-two with McMurray sitting in third place. Another Kenseth incident (he received a two-lap penalty from NASCAR for aggressive driving) sent the leaders to pit lane.

Gordon was first off of pit lane and fourth on the track behind Dave Blaney, David Reutimann and Paul Menard as the race went back to green on lap 366. Blaney got a slow start and it bottled up the restart, but Gordon slipped into second place behind Reutimann.

Three laps later Gordon easily slid under the No.44 Toyota for the lead with 170 laps remaining. Reed Sorenson caused another caution flag when he stopped at the entrance of pit road and when pit lane was opened most of the leaders came in. This time Hamlin beat Gordon out and they restarted fifth and sixth on the track.

Staying out were Burton, Brian Vickers, Edwards and Mears and they restarted first through fourth.

Hamlin and Gordon moved up one spot each before Ken Schrader's oil line let go to bring out caution flag No.18 and slow the race with 98 laps remaining.

The No.11 Toyota continued to charge and passed Edwards for third place on lap 418, but Gordon was having trouble keeping up with him. Hamlin passed Vickers and only had one car between him and the lead - Burton.

Hamlin got inside Burton and with 75 laps remaining they were side-by-side. Burton didn't yield easily, but two laps later Hamlin was on top of the heap.

Gordon's drive had stalled, but Earnhardt Jr. was the car on the move. He got around Gordon and Vickers to find himself in fourth place and still 65 laps to catch the leaders.

Hamlin built the lead to one second when Burton got a little loose. He was maintaining the margin as the field hit 40 laps to go. Meanwhile, Gordon retook the spot from Earnhardt Jr. as the No.88 Chevy was getting looser.

But Hamlin was in complete control and just 30 laps, a little over 15 miles, to the checkered flag. Burton got close, but could never make a move. Then Gordon got his Chevrolet working, passing both Edwards and Burton for second place, but never had a legitimate shot at the leader.

Burton's third-place finish makes the No.31 Richard Childress Racing driver the new championship leader, 39 points ahead of Kevin Harvick (915 - 876). Hamlin jumped up to eighth with his victory.

The next race in the series is scheduled for Sunday, April 6th at the high- speed Texas Motor Speedway.