While the yellow flag waved only four times in the first half of the race, with the fourth caution coming at the halfway mark, the yellow flag waved often in the second half for another 12 cautions. It’s been a very nice regular season for the unheralded driver and his under-funded race team.
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Tire strategy became paramount in the race’s final 100 laps.
The race results did not change the make-up of the field with Chris Buescher (who had one win but needed to finish 30th or better in points; he ended up 29th) advancing and earning one of the coveted Chase spots based on points were Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray. That’s probably a stretch considering Buescher has just two top-five finishes through 25 races this season.
A record 16 caution flags slowed the race for 89 laps, the last of which sent the race into overtime.
Hamlin would edge the surging Kyle Larson to claim the pole position in the final round of qualifying.
Hamlin turned a fast last at 122.344 miles per hour in the third round of qualifying to claim his first pole position of the year. “We actually looked at the rainouts and it’s like, ‘We’re going to start seventh because of a rainout and it hurts our average'”. Martin Truex. Jr., who is like a first cousin to the team, will also be participating in his Furniture Row #78 Toyota.
Hamlin believes his Richmond win is the catalyst he needs in the Chase. Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray were the other three drivers, heading into RIR, in provisional Chase spots. McMurray’s closest competitor, Ryan Newman, was knocked out of contention early when former teammate Tony Stewart, saying he was unhappy with the way Newman had bumped him, forced Newman into the inside wall.
“He’s got issues, and we all know he’s got issues”, said Newman, who drove at SHR for six seasons before leaving for Richard Childress Racing in 2013.
“I guess he thought he was in a sprint vehicle again and didn’t know how to control his anger”. “We’ll keep fighting like we always do”.
“We wouldn’t want it to be easy”, Buescher said. It’s disappointing that you’ve got somebody old like that retired the way he drives.
Stewart had a different perspective. How many times does a guy get a free pass until you’ve had enough of it?
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Hamlin displays his anger as he argues a point with Tony Eury Sr., then the crew chief of the No. 88 Navy Chevy, on pit road following an altercation in the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in what was then the Nationwide Series. “I got into him after that, but he had already chopped into me and messed up my line. I know everyone on this AdvoCare team will give it everything they have this weekend and I’ll do everything I can and hopefully we can make something happen on Saturday night”. I don’t do that to him. “It just fires me up every time I get it here”, said Hamlin in Victory Lane after the race on NBCSN. “Three times? That’s two more time than I normally let somebody run into me”. “It’s just ridiculous”, Newman said. “He’ll get his wish”. “I think things get a little bit tamer in the Chase because people are aware of the Chase cars”. Dylan Lupton couldn’t avoid the accident and his vehicle ended up wedged between the wall and on top of Newman’s auto when the crashing finally ceased.
