Saturday, June 17, 2006
Hamlin recognized after first win: Suddenly, Denny Hamlin is a star. Well, at least he's being treated like one. The rookie won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race last week at Pocono Raceway, vaulting him into ninth place in the season standings. Hamlin has a second-place finish and hasn't come in worse than 11th in his last five races, turning him into a legitimate contender for a berth in the Chase for the championship. That success has put him in an unfamiliar spotlight. "The biggest thing is probably being noticed more," Hamlin said Friday at Michigan International Speedway. "I went to an autograph session last night and [I was surprised at] just how many people paid attention to the race and knew that I won. Probably 99 out of 100 people congratulated me on the win."
I'm back: Crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe returned to the Nextel Cup garage area Friday after finishing a four-week suspension handed down by NASCAR when inspectors found an illegally mounted sway bar on Dale Jarrett's No. 88 Ford in Richmond. Labbe was also fined $25,000, and Jarrett and car owner Robert Yates were each docked 25 points in their respective standings. "It's neat [to be back], but it stinks," Labbe said. "I suffered the last four weeks by not seeing all your friends in the garage. You get out of tune with what's going on. You miss four weeks and technology changes every day and you miss out on some things, so we're playing catch-up." Labbe said John Darby, the Cup director, told him he could come to the track but not come into the garage or be in contact with his team on the radio. "I'd go up in the grandstands in turn one or turn two or wherever I wanted to go and what I did was let the guys just run the deal like I wasn't here," he said. "I just wanted to watch cars. I definitely learned a lot."
Associated Press
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