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Hamlin Scores Career-First NBS Top 10 at Gateway

July 23rd, 2007 - Concord, NC
Source: CGRFS Media Relations

Kevin Hamlin qualified the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge in the 13th position at Gateway International Raceway this past weekend, and then finished with a career best seventh place. The car was tight in the center throughout the race, but Hamlin and team worked hard to get the car dialed in to bring home a top-10 finale.
Hamlin gained several spots within the first quarter of the race. He came in for his first pit stop on the first caution of the night to lower the track bar, change out all four tires and to refuel. As soon as he pulled off pit road, the Texaco/ Havoline team remained in the top 10.

Cautions flew all night enabling the Texaco/Havoline team to make the adjustments throughout the race as needed, including lowering the tire pressures on the left sides. The caution flag waved again on lap 121 for the fifth time bringing the No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge into the pits for minor adjustments. Crew chief Brian Pattie elected to take fuel only allowing Hamlin to pick up two spots on the track and moving him into fifth place.

Shortly after the fifth yellow flag of the night waved on lap 132, Hamlin took a hit from the No. 60 car, driven by Carl Edwards. Hamlin was running fifth, but the hit brought the car into pit row earlier than anticipated and relegated his top-five position to a top-15 run. Pattie and team were able to fix the damage that was sustained from the hit. Hamlin utilized the remainder of the race to come back and secure a career best Busch Series finish of seventh place.

Hamlin’s teammate Reed Sorenson captured the checkered flag Saturday night at the Gateway International Raceway, to claim his second victory at Gateway and third career Busch Series win overall.

Up next for the Texaco/Havoline team is the Kroger 200 at the O’Reilly Raceway Park on Saturday, July 28. The race is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET and will broadcast live on ESPN2, MRN, and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 128.

Kevin Hamlin Quoteboard

“Tonight was a huge victory for us and especially for Reed. I’m so proud of my team and for the whole organization as a whole. My hat’s off to the No. 41 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Dodge.”