NASCAR

Rain anticipates final race and Hamlin wins in Darlington

Denny Hamlin won on Wednesday (20) the sixth stage of the season of NASCAR, played at the circuit of Darlington, in the United States. In a race that had the start delayed by two hours because of the rain that hit the region the race track hours before the start forecast, the driver of Joe Gibbs got on the tip in the final part and saw the rain return, finishing the race with 20 laps left. The result represents the second victory of the Toyota number 11 driver in the season, repeating the Daytona 500. Hamlin, who led only 12 of the 208 laps contested, was followed by Kyle Busch, the teammate who caused the last yellow flag of the race by provoking a round of Chase Elliott, when the two dueled for second place. Kevin Harvick, winner of Sunday's race in Darlington, took third place with Ford prepared by Stewart-Haas, while Brad Keselowski, also a driver of a Ford, this of Penske, finished fourth. The group of the top five on the 1,366 mile circuit was completed by Erik Jones, plus a Joe Gibbs driver who led the race. Joey Logano, of Penske, closed the race in sixth position, immediately ahead of Aric Almirola, representative of Stewart-Haas. Hendrick's best driver Jimmie Johnson had another good performance and took the Chevrolet number 48 to eighth place, while Wood Brothers ' Matt DiBenedetto and Martin Truex Jr. from Joe Gibbs, they closed the top ten group.
Unlike last Sunday, when Harvick was dominant, this Wednesday's race proved to be the most exciting, with exchanges of leaders and the possibility of rain ending the race, as it happened. Hamlin had to climb the platoon and took the lead only in the final part of the stage, even appearing among the first places during much of the race.
The next stage of Nascar happens already next Sunday (24), with the realization of the Charlotte 600, one of the most important races in the United States. 

Leonardo Marson