Hamlin Wins NASCAR's Busch Series Race

Hamlin Wins NASCAR's Busch Series Race
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Published: 3/6/06, 5:46 AM EDT
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Denny Hamlin appeared to be right at home on the curve-happy road course in Mexico's capital.

Hamlin pitted early, then stayed out of trouble Sunday to hold on and win the second NASCAR Busch Series race in Mexico. It was the first career Busch win in 39 starts for the 25-year-old Hamlin, who started second and pitted during the first caution, then outdueled pole-sitter and road course ace Boris Said by 1.53 seconds in the Telcel-Motorola 200.

"There's no other place I'd rather have it than here in Mexico," Hamlin said. "It's a race track that I was looking forward to going to from the time we were here last year. This track just fits my driving style perfectly."

Kevin Harvick, who finished second at the first Busch Series race outside the United States here a year ago, appealed a late penalty for improper passing and was able to regain third position, ahead of J.J. Yeley. Paul Menard was fifth.

Hamlin pitted early and took the lead when Said, the last car to pull off, finally left the track 20-plus laps later. Only series veteran Kyle Busch was able to catch and pass him, holding the lead for five laps until the 43rd time around the track.

Busch looked ready to grab the lead again out of a pit stop, but pushed to try and squeeze past Mexico's Michel Jourdain, causing a collision. Busch finished seventh after falling way back.

Crashes ruled Sunday, as officials called nine cautions. Hamlin said he was never threatened, however.

"Not one close call, the only one we had was when the 15 and the 5 got together and that was just a lot of smoke," he said of the crash involving Jourdain and Busch. "But we knew we had to be patient. I think Kyle was in a big hurry to get to the front, which is understandable. Once you get there, it's hard to pass."

Said climbed back into second, but his car faded a bit because of rising motor temperatures.

"It definitely slowed the motor down, made it a bit more sluggish," he said.

The curve-filled, 2.518-mile Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course featured eight tight turns and was especially tough for many Busch Series regulars used to negotiating oval tracks.

Sunday's second NASCAR points race in Mexico is part of officials' push to promote stock car racing south of the border, where open-wheel formats such as Formula One and Champ Car have long ruled. Hermanos Rodriguez was built for open-wheel and only slightly modified to make braking easier for less-agile NASCAR vehicles.

Officials said 36,192 fans turned out for Saturday's qualifying and that 72,428 watched Sunday's race. The final tally of 108,620 was much lower than last year's two-day total of about 135,000. Promoters blamed the drop on 20,000 seats that were removed from the southern part of the course's grandstands to expand nearby training facilities for Mexican Olympic teams.

The crowd got loudest after Busch hit Jourdain, knocking a fan favorite out of the race. Many in the stands hooted and whistled, directing catcalls and jeers at Busch.

"I don't know what Kyle was thinking," said an obviously miffed Jourdain.

Adrian Fernandez, Mexico's most famous driver, began in fourth and moved up a spot early, but ran into problems when Jamie McMurray hit a chicane NASCAR inserted into the long front straight to reduce accidents at the sharp first turn, and careened off the track.

McMurray pulled back on in front of Fernandez, causing a minor crash that injured Fernandez's thumb, forcing him to settle for 12th.

"I saw him on the grass, but I came behind him with a run," Fernandez said of the wreck. "I was going to pass him, so I came out of the chicane very fast as he went off. I had no time to do anything."

Eight Mexican drivers took a track they were very familiar with in front of a hometown crowd. Jorge Goeters, who grabbed the pole here last year and led for 24 laps, started in fifth and finished 15th.

Carlos Contreras, the first Mexican to compete in a Busch series race, topped all of his countrymen, finishing 11th. Robbie Weiss, NASCAR's international managing director, said no contract had been signed for a Busch Series event in Mexico City next year, but that all NASCAR venues have annual agreements that aren't usually re-negotiated until the following spring. He said officials expect to be back for many years to come.

"We're doing pretty good here," he said. "This is such a passionate country."
credit BellSouth