History was made on Sunday as a Toyota piloted by Dave Blaney led all drivers from the pole for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300. Blaney, a relative stranger to the pole, made good moves as he held off Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon until Gordon finally passed Blaney on Lap 31. The sole pause during that run was a caution for Ward Burton, whose engine failed.

Gordon, who along with teammate Jimmie Johnson was without his crew chief for this race, quickly began lapping cars on the one-mile Loudon track. Between laps 46 and 55, Gordon had put Bill Elliott, Jeremy Mayfield, Elliott Sadler and others one lap down.

Many drivers who started at the front began to fall back as those who were mired deep in the field began their charge forward. Notably, Carl Edwards began to pick off cars methodically to change his position from 22nd to 6th by lap 65. Tony Stewart also cut through the field with little trouble, finding himself 9th.

Green flag pit stops began at lap 68 and continued through lap 74, where the lead cycled through Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, with Earnhardt the eventual leader after all cycles were complete at lap 80.

More and more cars fall victim to handling problems or pit road penalties, leaving only 27 cars on the lead lap by lap 83. The second caution flag is brought out by Mayfield’s car littering debris in Turn 3. Pit stops under caution take place with Kurt Busch leading the field to green but he quickly surrendered to the superior machine of Earnhardt on lap 107.

Additional debris on the track begat the third caution, and more pit stops are made during the yellow condition. Johnson briefly inherited the lead but soon lost it again to Earnhardt on lap 131. A shuffle of cars swapped the lead throughout the next few laps, with Kyle Busch eventually coming out ahead at lap 137.

Kyle Busch led for almost fifty laps before surrendering to the Budweiser Chevy once more at lap 183. Chevrolets have been the class of the field, with the only other car in the top ten the No. 99 Ford of Edwards.

Lap 192 brought another round of green flag pit stops, with Earnhardt again taking the lead after the cars shuffle through. The cycle ends at lap 202. The next lap brought the fourth caution for Joe Nemechek, whose car lost a wheel and careened into the wall. Earnhardt took the green flag at lap 209.

Earnhardt teammate Martin Truex, Jr. muscled past the No. 8, taking the lead and extending it to an almost three second lead until the caution flew for the fifth time over lap 254, just prior to the next green flag pit stop window. Carl Edwards, who had gone a lap down with a dramatic, 45+ second pit stop, receives his lap back.

With a win in the Busch Series and a top ten in New Hampshire, it was a good weekend for Kevin Harvick.

A two tire change by the No. 11 FedEx Chevy team of Denny Hamlin proved to be the call of the race. The pit strategy put the two-time Pocono winner in front of the leaders, but an immediate caution bunched the cars again. Hamlin led them to the stripe at lap 263, and began working his way through the lapped traffic. Truex, followed closely by Jeff Gordon, began creeping toward Hamlin and cutting time off his lead. By lap 294, Gordon, who had battled Truex hard for second position, made the pass and set his sights on the No. 11.

Gordon was unable to catch Hamlin until the last lap, bumping Hamlin through turn four. Hamlin held his lead and went on to capture his first win of the season. Gordon finished second, followed by Truex, Earnhardt and Johnson to round out the top five.

Finishers six – ten were Jeff Green, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman.

Despite the loss of points last week, Gordon retained his lead over Denny Hamlin, followed by Kenseth, Johnson (who moved up one spot after his point deduction) and Jeff Burton.

Until next week and the bright lights of the Pepsi 400, remember that rubbin’ is racin’ except while you’re partying for the Fourth of July. Drink responsibly and be safe.

Have a question or comment for Samantha? Email her at samanthamaynard@sportsgrumblings.com.