Check out our video recap from Martinsville. Denny Hamlin continues the streak with his 3rd straight win at Martinsville, from the pole, it’s his 15th career win, is knocking on the door of the Championship. and is just 6 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

Hamlin narrows Johnson’s lead with win at Martinsville

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 24, 2010)

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—Dead heat.

Well, almost.

Denny Hamlin won Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville and trimmed fifth-place finisher Jimmie Johnson’s lead in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to six points with four races left in the season.

The closest Chase ever through six races is on a collision course toward next Sunday’s AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, the most dangerous and unpredictable race in the Chase.

“We’re back, baby,” Hamlin exulted in the radio as he approached the finish line. “Awesome job.”

Hamlin showed his appreciation where it was well-deserved. Crew chief Mike Ford and his over-the-wall crew gained three spots for their driver during their final pit stop, before a restart on Lap 394. Hamlin was third off pit road and fourth overvall (because Ken Schrader stayed out) when he took the green flag.

“I love you, Mike. Great job of adjusting the car,” Hamlin radioed when the race was over. “Best it’s been all day. Awesome job. Pit crew, you did it right there. You got me out. Thank you, guys.”

Kevin Harvick, third in the standings, stayed within striking distance with a third-place run at the .526-mile short track, as the top three drivers continued to separate themselves from the rest of the Chase field. Harvick gained 15 points on Johnson and is 62 behind the four-time defending champion.

Hamlin could have a yard sale on grandfather clocks, after winning the distinctive Martinsville trophy for the fourth time and third in a row. The victory was Hamlin’s series-best seventh of the season and the 15th of his career.

“Who said it was over?” Hamlin said of the Chase. “I told you it wasn’t over.”

Mark Martin rallied from a lap down to finish second, followed by Harvick, Kyle Busch and Johnson. Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and Brad Keselowski completed the top 10.

Harvick, who has had issues on pit road during the Chase, swapped pit crews with teammate Clint Bowyer earlier this week. Bowyer’s crew performed flawlessly, and after the race, Harvick offered to kiss his teammate as an expression of gratitude.

“Coming into this race, no one gave us a chance to even run anywhere towards the front,” said Harvick, who posted his first top-five finish in 19 starts at Martinsville. “So it’s nice to come here, get the finishes we feel like we deserve. We’ve run well over the last few years—just hadn’t got the finishes to show for it.

“Great day for us. Everybody did a great job on pit road and in the pits, doing everything they had to do to keep the car up front.”

Earnhardt briefly gave Junior Nation something to cheer about. Before Earnhardt restarted third on Lap 247, crew chief Chad Knaus radioed to Johnson, “If you hear a great scream and roar (inside) the car, you’ll know that Dale took the lead in the race.”

Knaus didn’t have to be a prophet to predict that. When Earnhardt passed Jeff Gordon for the top spot on Lap 285, the crowd stood en masse and cheered lustily. Earnhardt held the lead for 90 laps, 19 more than he had led previously this year, but his handling tightened up in the late going, dropping him to seventh at the finish.

During prerace inspection, NASCAR required Johnson’s crew to replace the drive shaft cover on the No. 48 Chevrolet, a minor issue in the sanctioning body’s view, though the specific reason for the change wasn’t stated. If there is a penalty forthcoming, it will be announced during the coming week.

Johnson was unaware of the change.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about—no clue,” he said after the race. “Not my job, man.”

1 1 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
2 21 5 Mark Martin ebay Motors / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
3 36 29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet
4 26 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Toyota
5 19 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet
6 22 20 Joey Logano GameStop PowerUp Rewards Toyota
7 28 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet
8 7 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
9 18 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
10 25 12 Brad Keselowski No. 12 Penske Dodge
11 9 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
12 15 43 A J Allmendinger Insignia HDTV Ford
13 12 98 Paul Menard Energizer / Menards Ford
14 33 83 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
15 32 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Black Ford
16 29 2 Kurt Busch Operation Home Front / Miller Lite Dodge
17 10 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
18 38 26 Ken Schrader Air Guard Ford
19 5 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
20 11 24 Jeff Gordon Dupont/National Guard Families Appreciation Chevrolet
21 35 9 Aric Almirola Budweiser Ford
22 41 7 Robby Gordon ExtenZe Toyota
23 14 82 Scott Speed Red Bull Toyota
24 6 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet
25 24 77 Sam Hornish Jr. Mobil 1 Dodge
26 42 71 Hermie Sadler ModSpace/TRG Motorsports Chevrolet
27 8 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
28 31 19 Elliott Sadler Stanley Ford
29 16 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
30 4 39 Ryan Newman Tornados Chevrolet
31 13 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
32 40 34 Tony Raines A&W All American Food Ford
33 3 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
34 2 47 Marcos Ambrose Dollar General Country Million Sweepstakes Toyota
35 27 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver’s Ford
36 34 36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
37 39 37 David Gilliland Taco Bell Ford
38 17 33 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet
39 43 81 J J Yeley Whitney’s Collision Centers Dodge
40 20 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
41 37 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
42 30 64 Landon Cassill Little Joe’s Autos Toyota
43 23 09 Bobby Labonte C & J Energy Services Chevrolet

RACE RECAP | MARTINSVILLE

Race #6 in the Chase
10 Brad Keselowski
9 Jeff Burton
8 Carl Edwards
7 Dale Earnhardt Jr. led 90 laps
6 Joey Logano
5 Jimmie Johnson’s lead has been cut to just 6
4 Kyle Busch
3 Kevin Harvick is 62 points behind the leader
2 Mark Martin first top 5 in a while (19 races), best finish of the year

VICTORY LANE

1 Denny Hamlin continues the streak with his 3rd straight win at Martinsville, 15th career win, and is knocking on the door of the Championship.

OTHER STORIES ON THE DAY

Marcos Ambrose cut a tire down after contact from the 48

Chase driver Tony Stewart was caught speeding on pit road, then with 10 laps to go he had a flat tire

Clint Bowyer found the wall and spun while running 13th

Greg Biffle had a strong car early, but two pit road penalties and a blown right front tire ended his hopes

Mark Martin went spinning after getting his bumper cover worn out

Early leader Ryan Newman broke a rear end gear at half way

Teammates Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton battled hard

Dale Earnhardt Jr. led 90 laps

Jeff Gordon got spun into the inside wall hard by Kurt Busch after the two tangled back and forth

By Tim Tuttle
Special to the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 23, 2010)

MADISON, Ill.—Brad Keselowski made a triumphant return to Gateway International Raceway Saturday, passing Mike Bliss with less than two laps remaining to win the 5-hour Energy 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. It was the final NASCAR race at the 1.25-mile track.

Keselowski was 200 yards from victory in the July race at Gateway when he was knocked into the wall by Carl Edwards and finished 14th. Keselowski started in the back of the field Saturday after arriving after qualifying from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in Martinsville, Va., but still was able to lead 83 of the 200 laps en route to his second consecutive victory and sixth of the year.

Keselowski was running second to Penske Racing teammate and Illinios native Justin Allgaier with 10 laps remaining when the final caution came out. Allgaier, Keselowski and third-running Edwards pitted and took four tires. When they came out, they were behind Reed Sorenson and Josh Wise, who stayed out, and Bliss and Jason Leffler, who took two tires. Keselowski was fifth, Edwards sixth and Allgaier sixth for the restart on Lap 196.

Sorenson jumped into the lead, but Bliss passed him and had the lead halfway through the 199th lap.

Coming through Turn 4, Keselowski got a strong run on the outside and passed Bliss for the lead within sight of the white flag. Keselowski pulled ahead by a couple of car lengths and won by .227 seconds over Bliss. Allgaier finished third after capturing the pole, followed by Leffler and Edwards.

Keselowski, the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings leader, was unable to clinch the 2010 driver title early at this event, but could do so in two weeks at Texas. Keselowski is 485 points ahead of second-place Edwards and needs to leave Texas with a 391-point lead over second place in order to claim his first NASCAR national series title.