Denny Hamlin grabs top seed

Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va.

Denny Hamlin went from last to first to the top seed in NASCAR’s race for the Sprint Cup championship.

Hamlin snapped a monthlong snap Saturday night with another win at Richmond International Raceway, his home track, by holding off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in a dominating Saturday night victory.

It was Hamlin’s series-best sixth win of the season and pushed him past four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson for the top seed in the Chase. The points were reset after Saturday night’s race, and Hamlin goes to next week’s Chase opener at New Hampshire with a 10-point lead over Johnson.

“I hope you guys are ready for a good 10 weeks,” he radioed his crew.

Regular-season points leader Kevin Harvick took the third seed, 30 points behind Hamlin. Busch, also 30 behind Hamlin, gave Toyota and JGR a 1-2 finish.

Kurt Busch, winner of the inaugural 2004 Chase, is the fifth seed, followed by Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle, who secured his spot in 12-driver field just 30 laps into the race when start-and-park driver Jason Leffler called it a night. Biffle was guaranteed a spot in the Chase by finishing 42nd or better. He wound up 32nd.

Jeff Gordon will be seeded eighth, the first of five drivers winless this season who will start the Chase 60 points behind Hamlin.

Clint Bowyer was the only real driver on the “bubble” at the start of Saturday night, but had a stout car, led 33 laps and finished sixth to grab the final Chase spot.

It didn’t take Biffle very long to clinch his spot in the Chase.

Biffle went into Richmond needing only to finish 42nd or better to make the championship field, and he was guaranteed his spot when Jason Leffler pulled off the track 30 laps into the race.

Leffler was a start-and-park ride, and assured Biffle of not finishing last.

Juan Pablo Montoya made his first Chase last season, but will be a spectator in the championship hunt this year.

Despite his failure in making the 12-driver Chase field, Montoya believes his team is stronger this year than it was last year.

“In a way it is frustrating because we didn’t make the Chase,” Montoya said. “But it is satisfying because we are performing, and having the car up there every week means a lot.”