A bittersweet win for Denny Hamlin at Pocono Raceway!

After leading the most laps earlier on, Hamlin found himself having to battle through the field to get back to the front. With 10 to go, Hamlin took over the lead from Clint Bowyer and held off a hard charge from Juan Pablo Montoya to score his 1st win of the season.

(Photo credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

“When I got behind,” Hamlin said. “It really started getting frustrating from my standpoint. I thought I was going to let it slip away with 50 to go.”

Condolences go out to Denny Hamlin and his family.  His grandmother, Thelma Clark, passed away on Friday at the age of 91. Hamlin wiped back tears in victory lane. “We definitely had some angels with us today,” he said.

Hamlin led a race-high 91 laps on the way to his 3rd win at Pocono Raceway. To say Hamlin knows how to get around at the triangular track may be an understatement. Three of Hamlin’s five cup wins have come at Pocono. It also marked the 73rd Cup victory for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Here’s an interesting stat to mention. Hamlin becomes the 12th driver to win a race this season. Compare that to last year’s total of 12 different race winners for the entire season.

With 10 to go, Juan Pablo Montoya was stalking Hamlin and Bowyer at the front. ”Restarts makes it interesting,” Montoya said. ”In our head, I told them, I think we have a car that can win the race.  I think the biggest thing was where the 11 was going to be.  I thought I had a car fast enough to hold 11.  I got hit in the last restart, and he passed me.”

J.P. announced after the race his team brought the same car to Pocono he dominated with at Indianapolis last weekend.

“My goal is making the Chase.  That’s the bigger picture.  If I make the Chase, they won’t remember – this guy won the race, this one didn’t.  The 18 won three races this year.  He’s probably like 150 points out or something.  You know what I mean?  They won’t be talking that he won three races.  They’ll be talking (whether) he made the Chase.”

Clint Bowyer was able to hang on for a 3rd place finish. “I mean, everybody’s trying to win,” Bowyer said.  But everybody’s on different agendas.  Like Juan said, he’s trying to make the Chase.  He’s never made the Chase before.  They set out to make the Chase. That’s what he’s going for, you know. Of course, you want to win.  I was trying to win.  I was kind of a sitting duck.  Once they caught me, they caught me.  But we did the best we could.  Just like you always do, you give it a hundred percent.  Sometimes it’s good enough.  Sometimes it’s not.”

Sam Hornish Jr. posted a 4th place, a career-best in the series followed by Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch. Tony Stewart rallied from a last place starting spot and having to fight an ill-handling race car all day to finish 10th.

For the (unofficial) race results, click here.

There 10 cautions for 39 laps with 17 lead changes among 11 drivers:  0; J. Johnson 1-22; D. Gilliland 23; D. Hamlin 24-54; J. Andretti 55; D. Hamlin 56-90; D. Reutimann 91; M. Kenseth 92; M. Ambrose 93; D. Hamlin 94-97; K. Kahne 98-126; D. Hamlin 127-132; K. Kahne 133-138; D. Hamlin 139-143; M. Martin 144-153; Kurt Busch 154-167; C. Bowyer 168-190; D. Hamlin 191-200.

Donations may be made in honor of Hamlin’s grandmother, Thelma Clark to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 5100 W. Kennedy Blvd Suite 195, Tampa, FL 33609.