Hamlin bumps Witten in victory for March of Dimes

Denny Hamlin got out, took a breath and knew the media would be there for questions. He'd just won his first race of the season.

No, this wasn't a dream that allowed him to re-do the way last Sunday's Martinsville race unfolded in which Hamlin was booted to the side and had to settle for second. This was serious. This was go-karts. And this was a victory over one of his biggest rivals ... in a distant kind of way.

Sweet victory

Denny Hamlin and Jason Witten talk about mixing it up on the go-kart track, racing hard and doing it for the March of Dimes.

• Video: Hamlin, Witten battle

Hamlin, whose team owner Joe Gibbs used to coach the Washington Redskins, raced Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten on Wednesday afternoon at Malibu SpeedZone in a pair of high-powered go-karts. Although the duel was in Big D, it didn't shake Hamlin.

The Cup driver quickly used the chrome horn on the NFL player, bumping the rear of his kart, moving him aside and driving away for the win. Was it built-up emotion from Martinsville? Neither was saying after Hamlin did a victory lap holding the checkered flag.

"I think he let me lead a little bit," a defeated Witten said. "But when it was crunch time, he pulled it out and got the win."

Hamlin repaid the respect. Of course, he was the one standing in Victory Lane on Wednesday after watching Witten spin out in the first corner of the warmup laps.

"Jason was really good behind the wheel," Hamlin said. "He's a big guy -- a world-class athlete. But you can tell he's one of those guys that is good at everything. He showed no fear out there."

"To be honest with you," Witten said after alledgedly scuffing paint of the track's walls with his kart, "I was just trying to learn as much as I could so I didn't get embarrassed out there on the track."

For NFL fans keeping score: Redskins 1, Cowboys 0.

The victory celebration was a welcomed sight for Hamlin, who's seeking his first Cup Series win since the Martinsville race a year ago. It also diverted media to Hamlin for a split second before writers pounced on Witten to ask his thoughts about the Cowboys' departed receiver Terrell Owens.

But Wednesday's winner was really the March of Dimes.

The exhibition go-kart race at Malibu SpeedZone between Hamlin and Witten was to raise awareness and funds for March of Dimes and specifically for the 2009 March for Babies. Fundaraisers have poured in more than $1.8 billion since 1970 to help mothers have healthy, full-term pregnancies.

Hamlin, who has been involved with the March of Dimes by helping spread awareness, is running a special paint scheme for the Phoenix Cup race: a white car with purple numerals and trim.

As for Witten, he welcomed Hamlin and sponsor FedEx to Dallas for the exhibition just before the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team hits Texas Motor Speedway for Sunday's race. Witten grew up in Elizabethton, Tenn., just south of Bristol, and he says NASCAR was always top of mind. So is the March of Dimes.

"Having children of my own, my heart's softened to that by just seeing so many kids and how that process works," he said. "To be able to help out is worth it."

Even the bitter rivalry between the Cowboys and Redskins couldn't stand in the way.

"Denny is a really classy guy," Witten said. "Being an athlete and coming in contact with other athletes, it's neat to see how genuine he is. A lot of stuff is required from athletes in NASCAR. To see him genuinely enjoy giving back through FedEx and the March of Dimes, my hat's off to him. It gives me a different idea about him and what a great job he does."

Added Hamlin: "It made sense that we all joined together to help raise awareness and funding for this great cause."

Of course, payback for the defeat on the track could be coming this fall on the gridiron.