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TALLADEGA, Ala. -- This time the trip to Talladega was something to watch.
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| Kyle Busch seems to be fitting in with JGR just fine. (US Presswire) |
"If the fans didn't like that, then they don't like racing," said Denny Hamlin, who was in front most of the day before finally finishing third. "The whole race was crazy. We were having a lot of fun out there, trying to give the fans a good show."
Three and four-wide racing was the order of the day with most drivers opting to race throughout the entire 499-mile affair rather than lay back and make a move at the end, which was the strategy most played last fall.
That made for a wild afternoon of restrictor-plate racing and one that had most fans, and drivers, on the edge of their seats all day.
It was by far the best race of 2008.
"It was an exciting race," said Kyle Busch, who mounted a thrilling charge to the front after falling a lap down early during a pit road miscue. "There were times where it got pretty impatient and guys were making some bold moves and what not, bump drafting and getting a little crazy."
Busch, Hamlin and the third Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart were the class of the field on Sunday, as they were in the last plate race in Daytona to start the year.
While Stewart was caught up in one of the day's two major crashes, thwarting his chance for that elusive Talladega Cup win and keeping him winless in 20 series starts at the track, Busch and Hamlin went on to give JGR another solid performance.
And in the process, Hamlin for one, had some fun.
"At times, this race kind of had the complexion like it had over the last three races, kind of single file, just everyone taking their time, didn't want to do anything crazy until the end," Hamlin said.
"But every time you come to a superspeedway race, it seems like it's the mark that with 25 (laps) to go is when it really kind of busts loose and gets crazy. I thought the racing was really good up to that point. There was a lot of exchanging for the lead between myself, the 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and those guys. I thought it was a great race."
Stewart might have completely agreed with Hamlin had his day ended differently.
He was a victim of the multi-car incidents that usually punctuate the plate races at Daytona and Talladega and his chance at victory was wiped out when he was collected in the Lap 173 pileup.
"I thought we were all right," Stewart said. But "the closer we got to Turn 1, the smaller that hole got, so I was as close to Bobby (Labonte) as I could get right there and the hole closed up. It's just what happens late in these races."
That ended his chance at a Talladega sweep after his Nationwide Series trip to Victory Lane on Saturday.
"The majority of the day we had a great day going," said Stewart, who also survived a scrape with the wall after a tire let go earlier in the race. "We were really in good shape with this Home Depot car until I had the right front go down. As late as it is in the race, with 15 laps to go, you've got to do what you can to get those spots back."
As for Busch, his up and down day ended on a high note, but could have gone the other way very easily. In addition to missing his pit stall to force him a lap down, Busch also pulled off one of the greatest saves in recent history when he made contact with Jamie McMurray and the duo did a bit of synchronized sliding through Turn 3.
"I didn't know what was happening," Busch said. "All I remember was I got knocked out of line first to begin with and then looked up in my mirror to see who I had behind me then. I thought I was getting hooked right rear and going great up on the fence and luckily somehow we got off each other and we kept it straight and we were able to continue on."
And continue on he did, right into Victory Lane for the second time this Sprint Cup season and seventh time overall including three Nationwide Series wins and a couple of Craftsman Truck Series victories.
Those who doubted Busch would fit in at JGR when he made the move from Hendrick are starting to believe this team, and driver, have the makings of a championship caliber season.
"That's just been the greatest satisfaction, being able to come over here to Joe Gibbs Racing, it's just been the chemistry has worked, all the guys, they are great to work with, guys on the team, guys in the shop are very cool and everybody is out for one thing and that's to make Joe Gibbs Racing be No. 1," Busch said. "Right now so far this year, I'd have to say that we are pretty close."
Just like the racing Sunday at Talladega.