Hamlin Wins In Richmond To Take Top Seed In 2010 Chase

Denny Hamlin picked up his sixth win of the 2010 season and took the lead in the Chase seedings as the 2010 Chase for the Cup begins next week.

The Race to the Chase ended with a whimper. Clint Bowyer's twelfth place points spot was never in danger and Hamlin was able to hold off a late charge from teammate Kyle Busch to claim the easy win.

Qualifying

Carl Edwards and Juan Montoya were quickest in qualifying and made up the front row at the start.

A.J. Allmendinger started third with twelfth place in points Clint Bowyer starting fourth. David Reutimann rounded out the top five.

Drop Of The Green

Carl Edwards got a huge jump on the restart and lead them around to lead lap one while Montoya and Allmendinger spent the next eight laps battling side-by-side for second before Montoya finally got down in front of him to claim second.

Carl Edwards lead the first 54 laps before Jimmie Johnson ran him down from behind and lead to the first caution just two laps later.

Storylines

This was quite possibly the least exciting Chase cutoff race in the history of the Chase. The top ten drivers had already clinched their spots in the Chase before the green flag flew and eleventh place Greg Biffle barely had to start in order to clinch his spot.

This left only Clint Bowyer in danger of losing a Chase spot but even he had a significant 117 point lead in points over thirteenth.

There just wasn't much to get excited about tonight.

Chasing The Checkers

Denny Hamlin lead the most laps on the night and was out front as the laps were winding down. Kyle Busch started to cut into his lead with fifty to go, then forty. The laps were steadily ticking away with the two Joe Gibbs teammates running nose to tail on the race track.

Kyle couldn't get it done and Dennt Hamlin held on to claim the win in Richmond.

Top Ten

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Joey Logano
5. Marcos Ambrose
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Juan Montoya
8. A.J. Allmendinger
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Carl Edwards

The Points

No big swings in the points tonight and Clint Bowyer was able to hang on to the final Chase spot.

The top twelve Chase seedings are:

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Jimmie Johnson -10
3. Kevin Harvick -30
4. Kyle Busch -30
5. Kurt Busch -40
6. Tony Stewart -50
7. Greg Biffle -50
8. Jeff Gordon -60
9. Carl Edwards -60
10. Jeff Burton -60
11. Matt Kenseth -60
12. Clint Bowyer -60