After passing forgettable summers, early front-runners of this 2012 Nascar Sprint Cup season are reestablishing their dominance. And with just two races before the chase, the series' de facto postseason, begins, the late surge is well timed.
Denny Hamlin won his first Sprint Cup race since April and the first of his Sprint Cup career at Bristol Motor Speedway, strengthening his chances for a berth in the chase. His performance on Saturday night in Tennessee followed a victory by Greg Biffle at Michigan on Aug. 19, in which the Ford driver won his first race since April to claim the overall series lead from Jimmie Johnson. Though he finished far off the podium, in 19th place, Biffle secured his place in the chase, as did Johnson, who finished second to Hamlin.
Though he executed a daring late pass on Carl Edwards to claim the lead, which he preserved for his third victory of 2012, Hamlin has not been as consistent a finisher as Biffle or Brad Keselowski, another three-victory holder, who qualified for the chase despite finishing in 30th place after being spun toward the inner wall on lap No. 270. (ESPN)
Here are other motorsports results from the weekend:
- Stealing some momentum from his teammate at Penske, Ryan Briscoe defeated Will Power at Sonoma, Calif., on Sunday. Though he finished second on the road course, Power retained the overall lead in the IndyCar series. He was followed across the finish line by Dario Franchitti. Rubens Barrichello, who left Formula One to race in IndyCar this year, finished fourth, a career best. (IndyCar)
- Dani Pedrosa continued to chip away at the point advantage of Jorge Lorenzo, winning his second consecutive MotoGP race on Sunday in the Czech Republic. Pedrosa moved within 13 points of Lorenzo, the series leader, who in July appeared to have the second MotoGP title of his career all but claimed. The Briton Cal Crutchlow placed thi rd, earning his first podium finish of his career in MotoGP. (BBC)
- Sebastien Loeb resumed his virtually uncontested march to his ninth World Rally Championship, winning the Rally Germany on Sunday, his ninth win of 2012. He did so with a two-minute margin over Jari-Matti Latvala of Ford. Mikko Hirvonen, Loeb's teammate at Citroën, finished in third place. (Autosport)
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