Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Ground Impala SS, captured his first win of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series (NNCS) season in the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS). It was the Team Chevy driver’s third NNCS career victory.

Hamlin’s win came from a gutsy call by crew chief Mike Ford for two tires on the last pit stop of the 300-lap/300-mile race to give the young Joe Gibbs Racing driver the track position he needed. Hamlin fended off a strong challenge from second place finisher Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont Impala SS, to claim his first win at NHIS.

Six more Impala SS drivers followed Hamlin and Gordon to the checkered flag giving Team Chevy the first eight cars in the finishing order.

Martin Truex, Jr., No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Impala SS, finished third followed by his Dale Earnhardt, Inc. teammate, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Impala SS in fourth.

Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Impala SS, rounded out the top five in the final order.

Jeff Green, No. 66 Haas Automation/Best Buy Impala SS, scored his best finish of the season in sixth spot.

Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton, No. 31 Lenox Industrial Tools Impala SS, and Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Impala SS, finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Kyle Busch, No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg’s Impala SS, and Tony Stewart, No. 20 Home Depot Impala SS, finished 11th and 12th to give Chevrolet Impala SS 10 of the top-12 finishers at the finish line.

Gordon continues to lead the point standings with a 156-point lead over second place Hamlin. A total of 10 Team Chevy drivers sit in the top-12 as race one of the Race to the Chase is now in the record book.

Chevrolet continues to lead the NNCS Manufacturers’ Cup standings with 14 wins in 17 of 36 races completed.

Round 18 of the 2007 NNCS season will be July 7. 2007 at Daytona International Speedway.

[GM Racing]

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