DARLINGTON, S.C. — Whereas Denny Hamlin celebrated his Darlington victory Sunday, the sensation of these additional down pit highway was a lot completely different.
“Simply sucks,” stated William Byron, who led the primary 243 laps earlier than ending second. “It’ll sting to be this shut.”
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“That stings,” stated Ryan Blaney, who misplaced the lead on pit highway forward of the extra time restart and completed completed fifth. “I actually needed to win right here.”
NASCAR: Goodyear 400
He seized the lead on the ultimate pit cease underneath yellow.
As a substitute, it was Hamlin successful for the fifth time at this observe and 56th time in his Cup profession. And he did so with out the most effective automotive.
“I instructed the group, the crew chief, I stated don’t get offended once I debrief and say that we in all probability had an eighth-place automotive,” Hamlin stated.
That gained’t make Byron or Blaney really feel any higher.
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It might be comprehensible if Byron was crestfallen after changing into the primary driver since Jeff Burton at New Hampshire in 2000 to steer greater than 210 laps to open a Cup race.
NASCAR: Goodyear 400
The race winner thanked his pit crew and a competitor after his second consecutive victory.
Byron did it by successful the pole and benefiting from observe place. Darlington’s distinctive form makes for a extra slim groove than many large tracks so observe place is vital. Run out entrance in clear air and life is sweet. Run within the pack and life will be depressing.
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Byron stayed within the lead and caught a break when a warning for particles interrupted a green-flag pit cycle at Lap 139 of the 293-lap race. Byron was amongst a couple of dozen automobiles that had but to pit. That allowed him to take care of management of the race.
Issues modified when Tyler Reddick pitted on Lap 240 underneath inexperienced. He was among the many first drivers to pit in that green-flag cycle and got here in 4 laps earlier than Byron.
After the cycle ended, Reddick had a six-second lead on Christopher Bell and a 6.2-second lead on Byron as a result of quicker laps on the brand new tires when Bell and Reddick had but to pit.
“We knew that Tyler was going to beat us (on the cycle),” stated Rudy Fugle, crew chief for Byron. “However with four-lap (more energizing tires) and if we come out the place we’re supposed to return out, I feel it goes rather well. It simply didn’t work out. That’s racing. The whole lot comes all the way down to that execution.”
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Mentioned Byron: “We misplaced just a few spots on that green-flag sequence and that was the distinction. Had a very good respectable run that point. (Bell) did a very good job type of air blocking and simply type of maintaining us behind. It took me a very long time to get by him.”
NASCAR: Goodyear 400
It’s his 56th profession victory, placing him in sole possession of eleventh on the all-time win record.
Then got here Blaney.
He had one of many higher automobiles however one thing all the time appeared to occur to him Sunday.
“Only a day the place nothing actually went our approach,” he stated.
A particles warning at Lap 139 of the 293-lap race interrupted a green-flag pit cycle. Blaney and Reddick had pitted in order that they weren’t caught a lap down as others however they had been behind all people who had but to pit and misplaced observe place. Blaney labored his technique to fourth to finish the second stage however misplaced 12 spots with a sluggish pit cease after the stage ended.
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Within the remaining stage, he pitted two laps after Byron within the green-flag cycle (Hamlin additionally pitted that lap). With more energizing tires, Blaney proved to be stronger because the run went, taking the lead on Lap 291 from Reddick. However a warning for Kyle Larson’s incident despatched the race into extra time.
Hamlin’s pit crew obtained out first, setting him as much as win.
Byron exited pit highway third; Blaney fourth.
“I had an awesome pit cease there on the very finish and was in a position to line up on the second row,” Byron stated. “Simply want the entrance row to have a shot to win right here.”
Mentioned Blaney: “Misplaced the lead on pit highway, misplaced the entrance row beginning spot. By no means had a shot (after that).”
