Hamlin joins Truck winner ranks at Martinsville

Denny Hamlin joined the ranks of winners in all three of NASCAR's top divisions with his first Camping World Truck Series win at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin took the Kroger 200 when previous leaders Austin Dillon and Ron Hornaday Jr. ran up the track after the final restart with 14 laps to go. Hamlin seized the gap with the inside line open through Turns 1 and 2 on the 0.526-mile oval.

Guest-driving his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch's No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra, Hamlin pulled away from the championship contenders to secure the victory.

“It means so much to get this first win,” he said. “The last 50 laps were the hardest 50 laps I've ever driven at Martinsville. I got told, ‘Those two guys are battling for championship,' and if they moved over, they can battle right behind me. That was a gift.”

Hornaday's fall hot streak continued with his fourth straight finish of either first or second, although he was frustrated to lose a chance at his third win in that period.

“I just blew it,” he admitted. “We got rubbed on and Denny got by both of us. It's been a fun year. It ain't done yet.”

Dillon fell to third as Hornaday got back past him after the two washed up through turns 1 and 2. He still leads the championship standings with two races remaining, by 11 points over Buescher and 15 over Hornaday and Johnny Sauter.

Sauter and rookie Joey Coulter completed the top five.

Buescher rallied to 10th by the checkered flag after alternator issues, which kept his title hopes alive. Buescher was involved in a post-checkered flag dustup with Todd Bodine, and one that inadvertently involved Brendan Gaughan and Timothy Peters.

Buescher beat Bodine to the finish, and Bodine pushed Buescher into Gaughan's truck through turn 1 and 2 at that point. Buescher retaliated by spinning Bodine as they prepared to turn into the garage on the cool-down lap.

Bodine also had issues with Germain Racing teammate Max Papis on the day, Bodine saying he was “done that way” by Papis allegedly moving down on him side by side in the pit lane. Papis had several other run-ins with other competitors throughout the race and when Bodine's truck was spun and stalled on the cool-down lap, Papis clapped his hands. He left the track without comment.