Hamlin impresses with win at Pocono 500
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

LONG POND, Pa. - Denny Hamlin earned some handcramping bragging rights in the garage with the way he beats other drivers playing racing video games.

Turns out, the rising rookie can handle himself on the track just as well as he can handle a game pad. Instead of entering his initials for the high score, Hamlin's entering his name as a candidate for the Nextel Cup title.

''We're just showing the potential of the race team,'' Hamlin said Sunday after winning the Pocono 500.

There was nothing virtual about the realities of this win, though: First, a blown tire sent Hamlin spinning. Then, NASCAR's elite drivers pushed him hard down the stretch.

But he never lost his poise, showing Tony Stewart, his champion teammate, that he might have some company in the points race.

''I think he's on the verge of something big down the road,'' Stewart said.

The 25-year-old Hamlin overcame the early blown rubber, surged late and held on to solidify his spot as NASCAR's top rookie. He owes some credit for his first career Nextel Cup win to the makers of his video game. ''I'd like to think I'm pretty good,'' he said of his gaming skills.

Hamlin was even better taming Pocono. He never turned a lap at Pocono Raceway before this weekend, then went out and captured the pole and the win.

''I honestly didn't think it would be this easy,'' Hamlin said.

Hamlin's introduction to the 2 1/2-mile triangle - which he said was like driving on salt flats - came Friday. But he had logged enough virtual hours to get comfortable, playing video games for three hours a day to familiarize himself with the comparatively flat Pocono track.

''It helps with track awareness,'' he said.

Hamlin held off the challengers - including Stewart - on the final five tenuous laps after the caution came out late following Jeff Gordon's harrowing accident.

Nothing slowed down Hamlin in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Chevrolet - not even his tire problems - winning a race in his 21st career start and jumping from 11th to ninth in the points standings. He's the third driver to win from the pole this season and he led 83 of the 200 laps.

''We're trying to get into the Chase and this is a great way to do it,'' Hamlin said.

Hamlin is trying to become the first rookie to qualify for the Chase in its three-year history. Hamlin is only the third driver to win his first time out at Pocono. The other two: Richard Petty and Carl Edwards.

''I knew right from the getgo we had a very strong car,'' Hamlin said. ''We just needed to fine-tune it and do something really small to make it a race-winning car. I knew when we took off and started pulling away that we had a really strong car.''

Kurt Busch, who won here last July, was second.

Stewart, driving all 500 miles two weeks after breaking his right shoulder blade, gutted his way to a third-place finish; he completed 38 laps at Dover International Speedway last week before using Ricky Rudd as a relief driver, but had no such plan Sunday.

Stewart felt close to full strength, with no soreness.

''I feel like I could run another 500-mile race right now and still feel the same,'' said Stewart, who moved up a spot to fourth.