Photo – Chris McGrath/Getty Images
For this week’s feature, I decided to recap the last Cup race run on my friend’s birthday, the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 from Martinsville Speedway, which was on March 30, 2008.
Seven-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon won the pole for the race, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin starting right beside him.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a few others pitted on the first caution on lap 22.
About twenty laps later, all the leaders came down pit road, and Earnhardt assumed the lead. 2008 was his first year with Hendrick Motorsports and he already won the Budweiser Shootout, and was looking for his first points win.
Gordon suffered some damage to the nose of his car from a wreck involving Bobby Labonte, Scott Riggs, and Aric Almirola. It sent the four-time champ to the back, but not out of the race.
Jimmie Johnson took the lead away from Earnhardt, as the two swapped the lead back and forth several times between 100 and 200 laps into the event.
Denny Hamlin saw himself in the lead for the first time of the day on lap 208, getting around Johnson.
The caution flew five laps later and Hamlin came into pit, while Johnson and Gordon stayed out. Hendrick Motorsports cars were the best by leading 371 of the 500 laps. Earnhardt, Johnson, and Gordon were the only Hendrick drivers out front, as Gordon found himself in the lead on lap 269 after working his way back up through the field.
A David Gilliland wreck on lap 363 brought everyone down pit road. The Davids (Blaney and Reutimann) stayed out, but Reutimann got around Blaney before Gordon blasted by both of them.
The caution flew again 25 laps later and most of the lead-lap cars came to pit. Hamlin won the race off pit road by taking fuel only.
Jeff Burton assumed the lead and a few others stayed out with him. With 74 to go, Hamlin got around Burton for first and started to drive away from the field.
Gordon would not go down without a fight, as he started to reel in the race leader. He took four tires on the last stop. The seven-time Martinsville winner got to the back bumper of Hamlin, but it was the closest he would get. Hamlin took the win in front of his fellow Virginians and held off the four-time champ.
2008 Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Top Ten
#11 Denny Hamlin
#24 Jeff Gordon
#31 Jeff Burton
#48 Jimmie Johnson
#20 Tony Stewart
#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (led the most laps with 146)
#5 Casey Mears
#26 Jamie McMurray
#99 Carl Edwards
#07 Clint Bowyer