DHP 200 - Same Day Coverage
Darlington, S.C.
by Stan Creekmore and Bobby Bennett; Photos by Roger Richards

(5-12-2006) - The famed "Lady in Black" kissed another youngster on the cheek as 25 year-old Denny Hamlin drove to victory in the Busch Series DHP 200 at Darlington Raceway Friday night. Hamlin led for 38 laps and held on over the final three to beat Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray to the checkered garnering his second Busch Series victory in 2006. Hamlin won the Mexico City road course event in early March; another victory with great meaning to the young driver from Chesterfield, Va.

"Both two wins have come at perfect times," Hamlin said. "This is Rockwell's
home soil."

Like his win in Mexico, Hamlin used his head early in the race staying out
of trouble and then taking advantage of  a final pit stop.

"This was a race where I exercised patience more than any other race I have
ever been in. The pit crew got us out in the lead and we had a blistering
fast car at the end. I was really liking the cautions that came at the end.
Honestly, I didn't think we really would (hold them off) at the end."

Hamlin felt he sealed the victory when he noticed Kenseth was laying back a
bit further than usual going to the final green flag. 

"I saw Matt laying back on the restart. I figured the sooner I went the best
I would have holding he off. Luckily he wasn't rolling fast enough to get
under us in one and two."

Kenseth,  didn't wish to admit that with three laps remaining his chances of
picking up the win were slim., even though his history in not good on
green/white/checkered-style restarts.  "You always think you can get around
the guy in front of you. I really thought we had the best car if we could
have gotten out front."

And, as for this being a statement to the ability of Hamlin's talent,
Kenseth tempered his response saying, "He's showing his talent. He's in
top-notch equipment, just the same as Carl Edwards showed last year."

Jason Leffler, in the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge, was the highest finishing
Busch Series regular.

FRIDAY ACTION - Gonna need more than bondo for that...

(5-12-2006) - Steve Park got tangled up during Friday night's action. Not only did he deal with a fellow racer but an exploding tire as well.

FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - No sharp objects for Hamlin; Newman is happy to run fast and the event is extended...

(5-12-2006) - Hamlin is the Man - You just gotta love that Denny Hamlin. He knows how to keep a crowd in stiches.

Or, maybe he knows how to drive at his best with stitches in his hand. Earlier in the week, Hamlin suffered an injury as the result of pit area horseplay.

Hamlin was untouchable in NASCAR Busch qualifying with the No. 20, Rockwell Automation Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Hamlin reached a top speed of 167.670 to grab the pole position. the success fell in line with early season objectives.

"It's a good run to have three (poles) before the midway point in the season," Hamlin said. "The whole Rockwell Automation team did a great job of preparing the car today. We were fast in qualifying trim, fast in race trim. I'm pretty stoked about tonight's race."

As for the hand, Hamlin is wondering if he runs better with the injury.

"Maybe when it gets better, I might cut the other hand open," Hamlin said.

3 More - Darlington Raceway and executives from Diamond Hill Plywood announced today a contract extension carrying the race until 2009.

Cutting New Path - Cub Cadet announced on Friday they will field a limited-schedule primary sponsorship with the No. 66 Ford Fusion fielded by Brewco Motorsports and driven by Greg Biffle on the NASCAR Busch Series.

The team will run a minimum of six races in Busch series with Biffle driving in the majority. On the schedule will be stops in Nashville, Kentucky, Chicago, Martinsville, Watkins Glen and Michigan.

"Joining the NASCAR family and the Brewco Motorsports team aligns Cub Cadet with an exciting sport, a winning race team and a talented driver," said Tim Coughlin, National Sales and Marketing Manager of MTD Products, Inc. "Cub Cadet is a category leader with a brand that stands for superior design, innovative engineering and outstanding performance - three attributes synonymous with NASCAR and Brewco Motorsports."

Cub Cadet will use the program to support the partnership and participate in local market philanthropic endeavors. Biffle has used this partnership to take part in a 'military mow" for a Charlotte-area National Guardsman, Sargeant Michael Scaglione and his family. Plans call for similar events in other markets.

Cub Cadet will also have specially designed racing simulators that will appear in dealer stores.

Experienced Rookie - John Andretti is not your typical rookie on the NASCAR Busch Series. The nephew of legendary open wheel driver Mario Andretti, John has experience at the top levels of NASCAR and CART/IRL.

Andretti has run a split weekend in the past; running both the Indianapolis
500 and the Coca Cola 600 in the same day. Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon have done the same. However, in recent years no one has been willing to try the famed Memorial Day weekend double.

This year, Andretti has a bit of incentive to give serious thought to
running both races. His cousin, Michael has come out of retirement to run
the Indianapolis 500, along with veteran Al Unser, Jr.

"It's a lot of history going on," Andretti said in between practice sessions
for the DHP 200 at Darlington Raceway. "I think Mario is probably going
around looking for a ride, which he could get easily, I'm sure. It's jut
big.  Michael is coming out of retirement for this one race. Marco, (the son
of Michael and grandson of Mario) of course, this is his first Indianapolis
500. 

"I've been saying that (Michael) is doing the race to help Marco and all
that. I think it's more or less, if he does the race, then he doesn't have
to worry about Marco. He's more worried about what he's doing and I think
that's the best way to handle it because I know that my uncle is a lot more
concerned now that he's outside the car than he ever was when he was racing
because you're got your own issues." 

With Mario on the sidelines, his cousin and first cousin trying to making
the race, John has considered joining the party, but not until after he
fulfills his NASCAR obligations.

"Right now I keep mulling over some opportunities that are there even for
this year.  I've got to make a decision pretty quick but I got to get
through Darlington first [smiles]."

Darlington Family Reunion - As the NASCAR Busch Series celebrates its 25th season in 2006, it’s only fitting that Darlington Raceway – NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway – puts out the welcome mat. The track is one of only seven to host series events since 1982 and this weekend is perfect timing for a reunion between the historic venue and a Spartanburg, S.C., racing family.

Larry Pearson, a two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion (1986-87), is  returning to the egg-shaped track to visit his brother Ricky, the crew chief for Tim Sauter’s No. 36 Lester Buildings Chevrolet.

Ricky also has two series championship rings, having served as crew chief for his brother’s title runs in the No. 21 Chevrolet-Pontiac combination.

The owner of that team? Their father, one of NASCAR’s all-time greats and three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion David Pearson, who had a short but successful history in the NASCAR Busch Series.

“Darlington’s one of my favorite, if not the favorite track, I really liked,” Larry said in February at Daytona International Speedway where he and three other former NASCAR Busch Series champions gathered to kick off the 25th season.

“I only won one race there, but still that remains as my favorite. Strictly from the traditional (aspect), the Darlington races, I mean, the track’s been there since 1950.”

Larry Pearson competed in 18 races at Darlington and registered three top fives, nine top 10s and two Busch Poles to go along with his win in the spring race in 1995. He came back to win from the 36th starting position, the worst starting spot for a NASCAR Busch Series winner at Darlington.

His father ran in only six NASCAR Busch Series races, five of those in the inaugural 1982 season. He finished third in the first series race held at Darlington on April 3, one of four top-five finishes including a win at Rockingham later that season. He also posted four top-10 finishes and captured three Busch Poles in those six races.

“The best (driver) I possibly ever saw, and probably still think, is David Pearson,” said Jack Ingram, the series’ first champion. David Pearson bested Ingram in four of those six races, including the 1982 Darlington event where Ingram finished fourth.

Today, Larry Pearson is still driving, but his vehicle of choice isn’t a stock car. He owns a company that teaches driver’s education to high school students. 

“I do miss it,” he said of his NASCAR Busch Series career. “I miss it a lot. I miss seeing different people, different friends. I miss the competition of it. [But] I enjoy the heck out of [teaching driver’s education.] I love kids. Me and the little teenagers I teach, we have a blast. It’s a lot of fun. That’s helped me get over not driving race cars.”

Stocking Up - Kevin Harvick (No. 21 U.S. Coast Guard Chevrolet) won his third race in his last four outings last Friday night at Richmond. The win kept his points lead at a comfortable cushion over Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer (No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet).

There are just three races left before the NASCAR Busch Series stand-alone portion of the schedule begins. Harvick is one of seven drivers attempting to run a full season in both the NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, so his 313-point lead over Bowyer is a luxury considering the possible roadblocks that lie ahead with travel, mainly due to the unpredictable summer weather.

A missed race at Nashville last June due to a rain postponement arguably cost Carl Edwards (No. 60 Henkel Ford) the title. Harvick hasn’t run at Darlington since 2004, and has one top five and three top 10s in seven career NASCAR Busch Series races at the track.

All About Momma - Just two years removed from ASA and ARCA competition since his rise in NASCAR, 20-year-old Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Discount Tire Co. Dodge) is quick to point out how influential his mother, Becky, has been as Mother’s Day weekend approaches.

“My mom took care of a lot of the business side of my racing career,” Sorenson said. “She did all that stuff and worked for my dad (Brad), too. Dad and I joked sometimes that she liked racing so much that she liked it even more than we did.”

Becky Sorenson agreed. “It has been fun watching him grow up through the years and every series he competed in was always very family-oriented, so it made it a great experience for all of us [including daughter Ashley],” she said.

“I don’t know if you can ever really pay your parents back,” Sorenson said. “There is probably nothing you could ever do to match what they did for 15 years when I was growing up racing. A lot of money was spent and time taken to help me through it all. I definitely will never forget everything they did and still do for me.”

Darlington Dominance - Mark Martin (No. 6 Ameriquest Ford), the NASCAR Busch Series’ all-time leader in wins (47), captured eight of those victories at Darlington, the most of any driver. Martin, who is tied with Tommy Ellis for the all-time lead in Busch Poles with 28, has eight starts from the pole at Darlington, also first. Martin has 12 top fives and 16 top 10s in his 26 career races there (tied for third in series history). Martin also has led the most laps (972).

Martin’s appearance at Darlington will be his first in the NASCAR Busch Series at the track since 2000 when he swept both races that season from the Busch Pole.

Return to Contents

Return to Contents