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Those on the verge of writing off Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s chance for the Sprint Cup Series championship, he wants you to think again. Sure, he knows he hasn’t been as strong as his No. 88 National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet team was before the summer months started.

Denny Hamlin: After qualifying 32nd, Hamlin charged to the front at Loudon and took the lead on lap 94. He led 193 of 300 laps and won for the fifth time this year.

The 2012 Sprint Cup Series season started with a running tally of how many races Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin would win. A simple bet amongst outsiders interested to see how Stewart would do with new crew chief Steve Addington, while his championship winning crew chief from last season, Darian Grubb, joined Hamlin at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Babe Hamlin? Okay, it might not roll off the tongue as nice as Denny Hamlin but, like George Herman Ruth of old, Hamlin was bold enough to call his shot and was good enough to pull it off in winning at New Hampshire last Sunday.

Hamlin came from the 32nd starting position to the lead before the 100th lap had been run. Hamlin led 193 of the 300 laps in route to his fifth win of the season and the 100th win all-time for Joe Gibbs Racing, becoming only the sixth team in NASCAR Sprint Cup history to reach 100 victories.

Everyone has them; they could be superstar athletes or everyday people. I have been privileged enough to meet three of my idols over the past month. Every encounter I was star struck. Talking to someone that you admire, care for and respect creates an incredible feeling inside of you. I have felt that feeling inside of me three times in the past month. Incredible. That’s how I describe every meeting.

As the green flag flew on the Sylvania 300, Hamlin who had to start 32nd after a poor qualifying effort wasted no time making his way through the field finding himself in the Top 15 before the competition caution at lap 40.

Earlier this week Denny Hamlin told everyone via Twitter that he would win this week’s Sylvania 300 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The proclamation came after a disappointing finish in Chicago where he ran out of gas and lost valuable positions in the chase for the Sprint Cup.

There was a heaviness in the air. A foreboding if you will. The clouds were gathering just beyond the track and the smell of rain became apparent on the wind. It was a hurry up qualifying session for the Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville Speedway. Hurry up next one we can get it in. Hurry up and go. But all the hurrying in the world wasn't enough even with 12 second laps, at 6:25 EDT the winds and the rain came. Fans were advised to leave the grandstands and take cover. Crews rushed to trailer their cars. Qualifying would have to be started over.

Austin Dillon, driver of the No.3 Advocare Chevrolet, started from the pole for the second time this year at Kentucky Speedway in the Kentucky 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, with a speed of 177.264 mph and scored his second career win at Kentucky. "We have a hot rod. This car runs good here. I've figured something out with the line. I'm just very confident at this track", said Dillon after his pole winning run.