Hamlin questions strategy, falls short with strong car

LONG POND, Pa. -- Following the Pocono 500, it was hard to tell who was more upset: Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin or his crew chief, Mike Ford.

One thing that was surely evident was their mutual disappointment.

The weather, which cut the 200-lap race to 106 laps, and the resultant divergent strategies by a number of teams that involved short-pitting and two-, four- or no-tire pit stops, put what Hamlin and Ford felt was the best car in sixth place on the final rundown.

Lap-by-Lap

Jeff Gordon and Steve Letarte looked to the skies for their gameplan at Pocono. See just how the No. 24 team played their cards perfectly to win.

• Complete story, click here

"I don't think you could edit what I'd like to say," Ford said after exiting the team's hauler to leave the garage.

Hamlin had left a good bit earlier, distressed at failing to win his third consecutive Pocono race, despite leading the most laps for the third consecutive time here.

By then, he had reconciled himself to his position, which left him unofficially third in the driver standings, 247 points behind leader and Pocono 500 winner Jeff Gordon. Hamlin is 416 points clear of 12th-place Mark Martin, currently the last man qualified for the Chase for the Nextel Cup field.

From the beginning, the weather put a whole different spin on race strategy. The start of the season's 14th race was delayed by rain. As the event neared halfway rain clouds loomed behind the Tunnel Turn that splits the track's two back-side straightaways.

But it was a stop about 30 laps earlier that Ford and Hamlin knew doomed them. When the race's third caution flew at Lap 65 for debris, virtually the entire field pitted. Ford called for four tires and most teams took a lot less than that -- either two or in most cases none.

As a result, Hamlin took the green flag at Lap 67 in 21st position.

"We absolutely didn't think we'd be back there," Ford said. "Usually how that deal goes is that you lose 10 or 12 spots. That's what I was anticipating, because I knew that was going to be the turning point of the race.

"I mean, if you had a crystal ball, things would be different -- but you make the call and you stick by it. When you have a good car you almost have to play it more conservative, knowing you can make up a little bit of time rather than if you have a car that you know you're not capable of winning with, you're more aggressive.

"In a shorter race, it bit us [Sunday]." (Continued)