Eliott Sadler Conuers Darlington in Xfinity Race

Terry Renna\ AP

DARLINGTON, SC – RIS - Elliott Sadler won for the first time at Darlington (South Carolina) Raceway, holding off defending champion Denny Hamlin in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday.

Sadler was second on the track “Too Tough To Tame” in this event in 2013 and 2014, trailing Sprint Cup star Kyle Busch both times. In this one, Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Hamlin, made a late charge and nosed in front two laps from the end.

But Sadler held strong through the final turns and crossed in front to earn the checkered flag at Darlington for the first time in 32 career starts — 18 in Sprint Cup, 13 in Xfinity and one in the truck series.

“I’ve been wanting to win here for a long time,” Sadler crowed after.

Hamlin ended second after leading 47 of 147 laps. Daniel Suarez was third and Kyle Larson, last week’s Sprint Cup winner at Michigan, was fourth.

The 41-year-old Sadler, who drives for JR Motorsports, said the victory was for his boss Dale Earnhardt Jr., who on Friday announced he would end his racing season as he continued recovery from concussion-like symptoms.

“This is for Dale Earnhardt Jr. My owner has given me one heck of an opportunity,” Sadler said. “I know he’s gone through a lot this year. This one’s for you, my man.”

Earnhardt called Sadler during the celebration in victory lane to congratulate his driver. “You’re the man, man,” Sadler told him.

Sadler, the series points leader, took the lead from Hamlin with 35 laps to go. He had opened a wide gap on the field until Hamlin, who’s won four Xfinity races at Darlington, steadily ran him down.

It looked like Hamlin would send Sadler to another second at Darlington as Sadler bobbled near the wall with two laps left and Hamlin ducked underneath and nosed ahead.

But Sadler, who led a race-high 75 laps, found the power to keep in front.

Hamlin closed in one last time on the final lap, but again Sadler maintained his position for the victory.

Larson looked like he would make it two straight victories when he passed Hamlin with 57 laps left. But 13 laps later, Larson had a flat tire and slid trying to enter pit road.