pandr
05-28-2012, 04:29 PM
For Hamlin, getting there was the problem
By David Scott - charlotteobserver
Monday, May. 28, 2012
CONCORD There was a time late in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 that Denny Hamlin thought he had a chance to run down leader Kasey Kahne.
But that optimism didn’t last long for Hamlin, who ended up finishing second to Kahne in the Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“When we got to about 15 laps to go, I told the guys I’ve given it all I had,” said Hamlin, who remains winless at Charlotte in 14 career races. “We wore out our front tires trying to get to him. It was the best we could do with tire management.”
Hamlin had hoped his final pit stop — in which he took on two front tires — would help him chase down Kahne.
“The only way was to use it up at the beginning (of the run), then try to hold him off by using track position,” said Hamlin.
Hamlin had to adjust to the vagaries of running in a race that began in the daylight (6:19 p.m.) and ended in the dark nearly four hours later. He led twice for a total of 13 laps.
“We had a solid car,” Hamlin said of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “During the day, the car wasn’t as good. It was tight — I don’t know how many spring rubbers we adjusted, but it was a ton.
“As the track cooled off, it freed up and gave us a chance.”
Sunday’s second-place finish was Hamlin’s best at Charlotte. Although he has yet to win, it was his seventh top-10 at CMS. He’s won twice elsewhere this season — at Kansas and Phoenix — and has seven top 10s.
Finishing second, of course, wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to Hamlin. He further solidified his spot in the standings, moving up a spot — passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. — from fourth to third. He’s 16 points behind leader Greg Biffle (who finished fourth) and six behind second-place Matt Kenseth heading into this week’s race at Dover, Del.
The 600 was virtually wreck free and the time of 3 hours, 51 minutes, 14 seconds was the fastest in race history. Hamlin thinks the importance of staying in contention for the Chase might be making drivers more conservative on the track.
“Everybody is so concerned with points nowadays, that if you wreck and (finish) in the 30s, it can take 10 races to get it back,” Hamlin said. “I think everybody is minding their ‘Ps and Qs’ to get a better finish.”
C/P Thats Racin
By David Scott - charlotteobserver
Monday, May. 28, 2012
CONCORD There was a time late in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 that Denny Hamlin thought he had a chance to run down leader Kasey Kahne.
But that optimism didn’t last long for Hamlin, who ended up finishing second to Kahne in the Sprint Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“When we got to about 15 laps to go, I told the guys I’ve given it all I had,” said Hamlin, who remains winless at Charlotte in 14 career races. “We wore out our front tires trying to get to him. It was the best we could do with tire management.”
Hamlin had hoped his final pit stop — in which he took on two front tires — would help him chase down Kahne.
“The only way was to use it up at the beginning (of the run), then try to hold him off by using track position,” said Hamlin.
Hamlin had to adjust to the vagaries of running in a race that began in the daylight (6:19 p.m.) and ended in the dark nearly four hours later. He led twice for a total of 13 laps.
“We had a solid car,” Hamlin said of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “During the day, the car wasn’t as good. It was tight — I don’t know how many spring rubbers we adjusted, but it was a ton.
“As the track cooled off, it freed up and gave us a chance.”
Sunday’s second-place finish was Hamlin’s best at Charlotte. Although he has yet to win, it was his seventh top-10 at CMS. He’s won twice elsewhere this season — at Kansas and Phoenix — and has seven top 10s.
Finishing second, of course, wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to Hamlin. He further solidified his spot in the standings, moving up a spot — passing Dale Earnhardt Jr. — from fourth to third. He’s 16 points behind leader Greg Biffle (who finished fourth) and six behind second-place Matt Kenseth heading into this week’s race at Dover, Del.
The 600 was virtually wreck free and the time of 3 hours, 51 minutes, 14 seconds was the fastest in race history. Hamlin thinks the importance of staying in contention for the Chase might be making drivers more conservative on the track.
“Everybody is so concerned with points nowadays, that if you wreck and (finish) in the 30s, it can take 10 races to get it back,” Hamlin said. “I think everybody is minding their ‘Ps and Qs’ to get a better finish.”
C/P Thats Racin