Hamlin received round Alex Bowman with seven of 160 laps remaining and trailed chief Ryan Blaney by about two seconds. Till Blaney inherited the lead with 44 laps to go, Hamlin had led essentially the most within the race (31).
It took a pair laps, however Hamlin did start to shut on Blaney however by no means may get in place for a cross for the lead earlier than Blaney left with the victory by 1.312 seconds.
On his subsequent to final pit cease, Hamlin misplaced 9 spots on pit highway and spent the rest of the race having to make up that important floor.
“By no means lose a race, simply at all times run out of time, proper? That’s simply a part of it. Observe place is such an enormous factor,” Hamlin mentioned. “When the (Blaney) jumped (to pit early) on that stage that we gained, that put them in entrance of us.
“Definitely was going to be onerous to cross. Simply not sufficient laps of inexperienced there in direction of the tip however hats off to them. Nice run.”
Hamlin mentioned Blaney’s potential to get away rapidly on the three restarts within the closing 38 laps left him at an obstacle.
“He stored nice tempo up there in direction of the entrance. Actually onerous for me to even attempt to get near reeling him in,” he mentioned. “Disgrace we couldn’t get to Victory Lane. One other day.”
Though Hamlin got here up brief on one other Pocono win, the runner-up end was a welcome respite from his latest string of poor finishes.
In his 5 races previous to Sunday, Hamlin had completed twenty fourth or worse 4 occasions with a finest end of twelfth at Nashville. That streak included a blown engine on his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on lap 2 at Sonoma, Calif.
“We had been in such a horrible droop. We had been horrible for a month and a half or so in our finishes, not in our efficiency,” he mentioned. “Feels good to have at the very least a stable day leaving right here.
“I solely care about successful, however nonetheless this sort of rebound is one thing that at the very least makes you are feeling a little bit higher.”
Hamlin did acquire floor within the race for the common season championship, nonetheless.
With 5 races remaining earlier than the playoffs, he stays fourth in factors however solely 20 behind new chief Chase Elliott.
