Hendrick Durham Auto Mall congratulates Josh Hamilton of Raleigh for the season he has had in Major League Baseball.

Hamlton, who attended Athens Drive High School, will be in the spotlight during this week's All-Star Game festivities at Yankee Stadium for the way he has overcome drug addiction to become a star with the Texas Rangers. He will start in right field for the American League in Tuesday's nationally-televised game.

Hamilton, with 20 home runs in the first half of the season, stole the show in Monday night's Home Run Derby on national television as he hit pitches thrown by a familiar face from Cary. Though he finished second in the competition, he was the talk of the town Tuesday.

Clay Council, who helped Hamilton develop his batting stroke as a 13-year-old, pitched to Hamilton Monday night. Council is 71 years old.

Hamilton's brother played American Legion ball for Council in the 1990s.

Council said his arm was sore after Hamilton's display. His neck may have been, too, after watching Hamilton set a record with 28 homers in the first round.

Hamilton's outburst -- which included 13 straight homers -- was the highest first-round total of all-time. He showed amazing power, belting 500-foot blasts with apparent ease and forcing Counsil to throw more than 50 pitches before recording 10 outs (which was any hit that was not a home run).

Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins topped a tired Hamilton, 5-3, in the last round. But the night belonged to Hamilton.

"The whole stadium, the way people responded, higher and higher -- you can't beat it," Hamilton told reporters afterward. "Them chanting my name and getting louder, it makes you more focused.

"I got chills," he said.

Hamilton hit three homers farther than 500 feet - with his longest estimated at 518.

"They should have juiced the ball up; I'd have hit the subway," he said.

Hamilton was the first overall pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries and addiction derailed his career in 2001.

Newman To Leave Penske Racing

According to published reports, Penske Racing and Ryan Newman have agreed to break up after the 2008 season.

Newman, the defending Daytona 500 winner, is in the final year of his contract.

The split paves the way for Newman to join Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing beginning next season. Stewart announced last week that he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, and he is expected to become part-owner of his own team.

Newman, the driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, is in his ninth season competing for Penske. He is ranked 16th in the Cup Series standings through 19 races this season.

Labels: Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, Josh Hamilton, All-Star Game, Yankee Stadium, Clay Counsil, Texas Rangers, Athens Drive High School, Ryan Newman, Penske, Daytona 500, Tony Stewart

Labels: All-Star Game, Athens Drive High School, Clay Counsil, Daytona 500, Josh Hamilton, Labels: Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, Penske, Ryan Newman, Texas Rangers, Tony Stewart, Yankee Stadium