BROOKLYN – For the second straight week and the fifth time this season, Denny Hamlin climbed out of his race car in victory circle.

Hamlin dominated the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, leading 123 of 200 laps.

Hamlin held off Kasey Kahne after a late restart to win his second straight race and the fifth of the season – a series high.

Kurt Busch finish third, Jeff Gordon fourth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.
“It’s a great accomplishment to win on so many different racetracks for us,” Hamlin said following the race. “To be able to unload and know you’re going to be competitive for a race win week in and week out gives you a lot of confidence. For the first time really in my career, I feel like we’re at this place.”

For Hamlin, it was his first win at Michigan, but his fifth Top 10 finish in nine races there.

Kahne, who was hoping to give Ford its first victory of the season, nabbed his fourth Top 10 finish of 2010 and his sixth Top 10 at MIS in 13 races.

“Our whole Budweiser team did a really nice job,” Kahne said. “We showed up with a new Ford engine, night and day difference than what I had last week at Pocono. I was definitely happy with the Roush-Yates Ford engine that they brought for our first time to race. It was a nice improvement. So that was good for all the Ford teams. I think they’ll all run better now.”

Hamlin was far and away the best car on the track Sunday afternoon.

Outside of Pocono, he said he couldn’t remember a race where his car was so much better than everyone else.

“Even though it looks strong, it’s not as easy as it looked today,” he said. “Friday and Saturday were somewhat of a struggle for us. We got lucky qualifying seventh simply because we cause we went out early. We probably would have qualified 15th to 20th if we went out any later. So we just capitalized and did everything we were supposed to do to win.”

Busch led the second most laps at 60, but never really was a factor in the closing stages of the race as Hamlin and Kahne pulled away and battled for the victory.

Finishing sixth was Jimmie Johnson, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was seventh, Jeff Burton eighth, Greg Biffle ninth and Joey Logano was 10th.

With only four caution flags for 14 laps, the race went quickly, lasting just over two and a half hours.

The average speed of the race was 156.386 m.p.h.

Kevin Harvick, who finished 19th, continues to lead the Sprint Cup standings, but by only 22 points over Kyle Busch.

Hamlin closed to within 47 points and the top three drivers remained in the same order.
Kurt Busch moved up a spot to fourth, while Matt Kenseth dropped to fifth.

Rounding out the Top 12 are Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart and Mark Martin.

Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400
At Michigan International Speedway
Top 10
1. Denny Hamlin, 2. Kasey Kahne, 3. Kurt Busch, 4. Jeff Gordon, 5. Tony Stewart, 6. Jimmie Johnson, 7. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 8. Jeff Burton, 9. Greg Biffle, 10. Joey Logano

Race statistics
Time of race: 2:33.28
Caution flags: 4 for 14 laps
Lead changes: 18 among 9 drivers