Sports

Hamlin's pass, Gordon's blunder allow Joe Gibbs racer to claim fifth victory at Martinsville

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Regan Smith (42) spins out as the field passes by during the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, March 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Don Petersen) (The Associated Press)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) Landon Cassill (40) Paul Menard (27) and Justin Allgaier (51) tangle during the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, March 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Don Petersen) (The Associated Press)

Denny Hamlin passed teammate Matt Kenseth for the lead with 28 laps to go Sunday and went on to end Toyota's 32-race winless streak in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway.

The driver for Joe Gibbs Racing held off a five-lap, bumper-to-tail challenge from Brad Keselowski for his 25th career victory and his fifth at the smallest and oldest track in the premier series.

The victory also came after a terrible blunder by four-time series champion and eight-time Martinsville winner Jeff Gordon. He took the lead for the first time with 58 laps to go and then got caught entering pit road too fast when the 16th and final caution came out with about 40 laps to go.

"Wow. I'm sorry guys," he said on the radio. "That's on me. I apologize."