Highlights

Hamlin holds off Gordon for first win of season

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-02 08:58

NEW YORK - Denny Hamlin won his first NASCAR race of the season when he held off Jeff Gordon at Loudon, New Hampshire, on Sunday.

NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin gets doused by his teammates as he climbs out of his car after winning the LENOX Industrial Tools 300 auto race at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H., Sunday, July 1, 2007.[AP]

 

Hamlin gambled by taking on two tyres instead of four during a late pit stop to get the jump on Martin Truex Jr., Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hamlin then held off points leader Gordon for his first victory in 33 races.

"I was trying not to make a mistake on those final laps," Hamlin told reporters. "We finally got a win."

Gordon finished second, followed by Truex and Earnhardt.

The first eight finishers drove Chevrolets.

Gordon was less than a car length behind Hamlin when the race ended. He said chasing down Truex may have cost him the victory.

"I fought so hard with Martin we used up some of our stuff," Gordon told reporters. "We were running Denny down and he did a good job. That was fun."