This week we turn the page back to June of 2006 and take a look at that year's Pocono 500. The big story of the weekend centered on a young hot shoe behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing car - no, not Joey Logano - Denny Hamlin. The rookie sensation started the year off with a bang by beating the veterans in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona and sat 11th in the standings heading into Long Pond.

Having never been to Pocono before, few would have guessed how the weekend would have turned out for the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Chevrolet. As the cars unloaded, Hamlin was quick right off the bat and was able to capture the pole hands down over Kurt Busch. Hamlin laid down a lap of 53.054 seconds - more than a half-second faster than Busch - en route to his first pole award of the year and second of his career.

An avid video gamer, Hamlin prepared for the trip to Pocono by spending long hours at home behind the wheel of his computer. Using a NASCAR simulator computer game, full with steering wheel and pedals, Hamlin was able to make up for a lack of track time - all from the comfort of his home.

Hamlin led the field to the green and gave the other 42 competitors a great view of this back bumper for the majority of the event. Leading 49 of the first 50 laps, Hamlin ran into trouble when a left rear tire let go heading into the Tunnel Turn. The blown tire sent the No. 11 spinning through the grass and brought out the yellow flag.

With some major damage to the left side of his Chevrolet, Hamlin was forced to make repairs on pit road and restarted the race in 40th-spot on Lap 58. Methodically working his way through traffic, Hamlin patiently moved forward and took the lead once again from Clint Bowyer on Lap 177.

When the final caution flag of the day flew with just 10-laps remaining - for one of the most vicious crashes of Jeff Gordon's career - the leaders hit pit road for fresh tires - that is except for the man out front, Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin was able to hold off Kurt Busch and teammate Tony Stewart to earn his first points paying victory of his career. With the victory, Hamlin became only the third driver in NASCAR history to win his first ever start at the 2.5-mile track (Carl Edwards in 2005 and Richard Petty in the track's inaugural event in 1975).

"From the start I knew we had a very, very strong car," Hamlin said. "We were really good in practice and from the very start of the race I felt like we had a shot at winning. When we cut that tire I was pretty sure we had lost our chance, but the guys on the crew were incredible and as they made more and more repairs the car just kept getting better and better out there."

"There was no way we were going to deal with Denny," teammate Tony Stewart said following the race. "There was a reason he was at the front. He had the fastest car. In all reality, Kurt and I couldn't have done anything with him unless he'd had a problem."

Unfortunately for Stewart and Busch, a blown left rear tire wasn't enough. The kid was able to claw his way back and take command once again. Proving the run was no fluke, Hamlin completed the sweep at Pocono by winning the Pennsylvania 500 just six weeks later.