Hamlin wins Busch race in Mexico

MEXICO CITY – Denny Hamlin pitted early, then stayed out of trouble Sunday to hold on and win the second NASCAR Busch Series race in Mexico.

It was the first career Busch win for the 25-year-old Hamlin, who started second and pitted during the first caution, then outdueled pole-sitter and road course ace Boris Said by 1.53 seconds in the Telcel-Motorola 200.

Said planned to pit late and his No. 9 Dodge was the last car in the field to leave the track, finally pulling off during a caution on lap 25. He changed four tires and was out in 17.5 seconds, but was held to the back because of heavy traffic on the track. He climbed back to second, but fell behind and never really challenged Hamlin as a flurry of cautions marred the race’s last laps.

Kevin Harvick, who finished second at the first Busch Series race outside the United States here a year ago, appealed a late penalty for improper passing and was able to regain third position, ahead of J.J. Yeley. Paul Menard was fifth.

Kyle Busch started ninth, but used a smooth early pit stop to move up, overtaking Hamlin on a turn around the tightest part of the course. Hamlin pitted for the second time on the 42nd lap, as did Busch, giving the lead briefly to Mexico’s Michel Jourdain, who had only pulled off once.

Trying to pass Jourdain around tight turn eight, Busch didn’t make it. The cars collided, ending Jourdain’s day. Busch kept going but was far back.

Eight Mexican drivers took a track they were very familiar with in front of a hometown crowd.

Carlos Contreras, the first Mexican to compete in a Busch series race, topped all of his countrymen, finishing 11th.