Photos: Hamlin Wins Atlanta NASCAR Sprint Cup Event

Posted Sep 02, 2012

Denny Hamlin won his second straight Sprint Cup race, holding off Jeff Gordon in a green-white-checkered finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday night.

Martin Truex Jr. appeared to be positioned for his first win since 2007 until Jamie McMurray smashed the wall on the front straightaway, bringing out a caution with three laps to go. The leaders went to pit road, and Hamlin’s crew got him back on the track first, just ahead of Truex.

While Truex struggled to get up to speed on the restart, Hamlin pulled away with Gordon right on his bumper. The four-time Cup champion desperately needed a win to improve his chances of getting into the Chase, but couldn’t get by Hamlin on the final lap.

Hamlin took the series victory lead with four, putting him in position to top the standings when the 12-drive Chase starts.

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Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Toyota, performs a burnout in celebration of winning during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Tyler Barrick/Getty Images)
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Ryan Newman's car catches fire during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Joe Sebo)
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Ryan Newman (39) brings his car into the pits after it caught fire during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Dale Davis)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 Ford Eco Boost Ford, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 Army Medicine Chevrolet, is towed into the garage after he was knocked out of the race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, wipes his face with a towel in the garage after he was knocked out of the race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Crew memebers for the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson (not pictured) work on the #48 car in the garage after Johnson was knocked out of the race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, leads cars into turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: A general view of race action during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 The Home Depot Toyota, leads a pack of cars down the frontstretch during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: A general view of cars as they race into turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: The pace car leads the field through turn three during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Rheem Chevrolet, leads a pack of carsduring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Rheem Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 Army Medicine Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images)
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: A general view of cars as the race through turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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The sun sets behind clouds during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
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Danica Patrick competes during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
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Tony Stewart (14) and Greg Biffle (16) lead the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
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Tony Stewart (14) and Greg Biffle (16) lead the pack at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/David Tulis)
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Denny Hamlin does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
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Denny Hamlin does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Autostock, Russell LaBounty) MANDATORY CREDIT
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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Toyota, performs a burnout in celebration of winning during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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Denny Hamlin celebrates the win after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Autostock, Nigel Kinrade) MANDATORY CREDIT
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Denny Hamlin celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, in Hampton, Ga. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)