Denny Hamlin wins NASCAR’s All-Star Race – USA TODAY
CONCORD, N.C. — Keeping track of all the results and action from Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
SEGMENT 5: Denny Hamlin won the 10-lap shootout, leading every lap from the restart after the field made a mandatory pit stop. He won the battle off pit road. As the pole-sitter, he had the first stall. Brad Keselowski, who appeared to come off pit road second, was penalized for speeding and restarted 13th. Hamlin got a very strong restart and Kurt Busch, who started second, wobbled a bit. Kevin Harvick tried to chase Hamlin down, but Hamlin’s car in clean air was too fast. It is the first All-Star win for Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing.
“You want to win the Daytona 500, you want to win the Brickyard, you want to win Coca-Cola 600 and you want to be an All-Star,” Hamlin said after climbing from his No. 11 Toyota. “Just a big day. It’s just an unbelievable experience. … We just didn’t have a car that could run with some of those guys. But that pit crew, man, what can I say, they got this for me, there’s no doubt. Hopefully we start to get some speed here down the road.”
SEGMENT 4: Though he restarted fifth in the final segment, Kurt Busch quickly got to the front and passed Denny Hamlin (who took two tires) for the lead after three laps. Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick was second, followed by Hamlin and Brad Keselowski.
SEGMENT 3: Jamie McMurray had the pole position for the start of Segment 3 after he took two tires on the pit stop in between segments. But he couldn’t get going while Brad Keselowski did — and Keselowski led all 25 laps en route to another segment win. Kevin Harvick finished second, followed by Kurt Busch.
SEGMENT 2: Brad Keselowski took two tires on a pit stop after Segment 1, which put him out front for the second segment. Keselowski used clean air to his advantage, leading 24 of the 25 laps (Kurt Busch led the other) to capture Segment 2. Busch finished just behind him in second, followed by Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano and Segment 1 winner Kasey Kahne.
SEGMENT 1: After starting fifth, Kasey Kahne quickly moved up through the field and caught race leader Denny Hamlin. He made the first pass for the lead after 14 laps and finished the segment ahead of Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.
SPECIAL NIGHT FOR 24: Jeff Gordon got a special introduction prior to the race. He was introduced last, then was greeted on stage by former crew chief Ray Evernham. After remarks to the crowd, Gordon was joined by the other 19 All-Stars on stage for a group photograph. Then his family joined him for a picture and a hug.
QUALIFYING: Denny Hamlin won the pole for the race after he performed best in the unusual qualifying session, which requires drivers to come down pit road to make a pit stop in between their laps. Greg Biffle, who qualified for the race via the last-chance Sprint Showdown, started second, followed by Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne.
ENGINE WOES: Danica Patrick qualified sixth for the All-Star Race after winning Friday night’s fan vote, but she had to start 20th due to an engine change prior to the race on Saturday.
BACK ON TRACK: Kyle Busch raced in a NASCAR event for the first time since breaking his right leg and left foot during a Feb. 21 Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Busch qualified 19th out of 20 drivers but posted the fastest time in Friday’s practice session. He finished sixth. His wife, Samantha, is scheduled to give birth to the couple’s first child on Monday.
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PHOTOS: Key moments in the 2015 NASCAR season
RESULTS
1. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 110 laps, 114.2 rating, 0 points, $1,045,009.
2. (20) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 110, 109.1, 0, $249,784.
3. (16) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 110, 129, 0, $149,735.
4. (9) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 110, 93.7, 0, $119,705.
5. (17) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 110, 78.9, 0, $114,705.
6. (19) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 110, 69.9, 0, $108,705.
7. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 110, 105.6, 0, $102,555.
8. (11) Joey Logano, Ford, 110, 80.4, 0, $101,555.
9. (3) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 110, 111, 0, $100,555.
10. (7) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 110, 64.9, 0, $99,555.
11. (13) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 110, 59.5, 0, $98,530.
12. (4) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 110, 61, 0, $97,530.
13. (2) Greg Biffle, Ford, 110, 43.3, 0, $96,530.
14. (8) Aric Almirola, Ford, 110, 31.7, 0, $96,030.
15. (12) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 110, 59.7, 0, $95,430.
16. (14) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 110, 41.9, 0, $95,155.
17. (10) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 110, 45.4, 0, $95,030.
18. (18) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 110, 30.8, 0, $94,930.
19. (15) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 110, 34.1, 0, $94,830.
20. (6) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 78, 30, 0, $94,730.
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Race Statistics
Average Speed of Race Winner: 106.452 mph.
Time of Race: 1 hour, 33 minutes, 0 seconds.
Margin of Victory: 0.923 seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 0 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D.Hamlin 1-14; K.Kahne 15-25; B.Keselowski 26-32; Ku.Busch 33; B.Keselowski 34-75; D.Hamlin 76-77; Ku.Busch 78-100; D.Hamlin 101-110.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): B.Keselowski, 2 times for 49 laps; D.Hamlin, 3 times for 26 laps; Ku.Busch, 2 times for 24 laps; K.Kahne, 1 time for 11 laps.