FORT WORTH, Texas — Denny Hamlin knows the significance of that unexpected moment in Texas when he gingerly climbed out of his car in Victory Lane.
Hamlin believes the April win at Texas, only weeks after left knee surgery, was a “turning point” and momentum boost for the team.
At Texas again with three races left in the closest three- way Chase for the Sprint Cup championship yet, Hamlin is only 14 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson and 24 ahead of Kevin Harvick.
Hamlin has a Cup-high seven wins. Five came in a 10- race stretch including Texas.
Hamlin qualified 30th for today’s race. That is one spot lower than where he started in April and behind the other top chasers. Johnson starts 17th and Harvick 26th.
Button avoids attackers
SÃO PAULO — Nico Hulkenberg of Williams took the pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix, beating Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, a day marred by an apparent armed robbery attack on a car carrying defending Formula One champion Jenson Button.
The McLaren team said the driver of Button’s vehicle “reacted swiftly and, using avoidance techniques, rapidly forced his way through the traffic, taking Jenson and the other occupants of the car immediately away from any danger and back to their hotel.”
Keselowski clinches Nationwide title.
Brad Keselowski clinched the Nationwide season title by finishing third in Saturday’s race in Fort Worth, giving owner Roger Penske his first championship in one of NASCAR’s national series.
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP AAA Texas 500 Site: Fort Worth, Texas
TV: ESPN, 1 p.m.
Track: Texas Motor Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles)
Race distance: 501 miles, 334 laps
Next race: Kobalt Tools 500, Nov. 14, Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Ariz.
Online:
Driver standings
1. Jimmie Johnson 6,149
2. Denny Hamlin 6,135
3. Kevin Harvick 6,111
4. Jeff Gordon 5,942
5. Kyle Busch 5,919
6. Carl Edwards 5,902
7. Tony Stewart 5,832
8. Matt Kenseth 5,825
9. Kurt Busch 5,799
10. Jeff Burton 5,797
11. Greg Biffle 5,788
12. Clint Bowyer 5,782
FORMULA ONE Brazilian Grand Prix Site: Sao Paulo, Brazil
TV: Speed, 9 a.m.
Track: Interlagos, Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (road course, 2.677 miles)
Race distance: 190.08 miles, 71 laps
Next race: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nov. 14, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Online:
