Richmond, VA (SportsNetwork.com) – Denny Hamlin won Friday night’s ToyotaCare
250 Xfinity Series race with a near perfect performance at Richmond
International Raceway.
Hamlin, who grew up nearby this 0.75-mile oval in Chesterfield, Virginia,
started on the pole and led 248 of 250 laps. The driver of the No. 20 Joe
Gibbs Racing Toyota gave up the top spot on lap 154 when Brian Scott had
passed him and then on lap 226 when he pitted during a round of green-flag
stops, allowing Elliott Sadler to run in front for one circuit.
Joey Logano, who led all 300 laps in winning last Saturday’s Xfinity race at
Bristol, finished in the runner-up spot, 3.7 seconds behind Hamlin. Regan
Smith placed third, while Erik Jones and Chase Elliott, the defending series
champion, rounded out the top-five.
This race featured a scary moment during a round of pit stops under caution on
lap 113 when a large fire erupted in Brendan Gaughan’s pit stall. Flames
engulfed two crew members from Gaughan’s No. 62 Richard Childress Racing team.
Rear-tire changer Anthony O’Brien and gas man Josh Wittman were transported to
a nearby hospital. A television camera showed O’Brien awake and alert while
laying on a stretcher, as he gave a thumbs up. Wittman walked away from the
incident under his own power and did not appear to be injured.
A crew member not immediately identified from Eric McClure’s No. 24 JGL Racing
team was also taken to the hospital.
