Denny Hamlin didn’t win any of the first four segments of NASCAR’s Sprint All-Star Race, but thanks to a prime pit box location, fast pit crew and fast car, he led the laps that counted most to take home $1 million with the victory.
Denny Hamlin wins 2015 NASCAR All-Star Race
The fastest team in qualifying proved to be the fastest team in the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race.
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Hamlin was the fastest car in qualifying earlier in the day, with the fastest lap and the fastest mandatory four-tire pit stop. That allowed the No. 11 team to pick its spot on pit row, and the advantage paid off. Hamlin averaged finishing 6.5 across the four segments that made up the first 100 laps of the race, which meant his was the sixth car to enter pit row for a mandatory four-tire change stop before the final 10 laps of the race. But he was the first to exit, just ahead of Brad Keselowski, whose earlier effort was all for naught when he was caught speeding.
Hamlin started on the inside, shot out to a quick lead ahead of Kevin Harvick, and ultimately won by nearly a second. Kurt Busch finished third, Jeff Gordon fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth. In his first race of the season after a frightening injury before the Daytona 500, Kyle Busch placed sixth.
Kasey Kahne won the first segment after passing pole-sitter Hamlin on the 15th lap. Keselowski elected to take only two tires during the yellow flag between segments, and the strategy paid off well. Keselowski grabbed the lead on the first lap of the segment and held on for almost all 25 laps of the segment. Nobody passed Keselowski on the third segment. Kurt Busch won the fourth segment, getting by Denny Hamlin three laps into it.
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