Denny Hamlin Never Got Chance To Play His Cards

Juan Pablo Montoya and Denny Hamlin couldn't say what might have happened if a caution hadn't short-circuited the final lap of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.
They did, however, agree on one thing.
"It was up to him," Montoya said as Hamlin walked in to join the postrace interviews.
Hamlin agreed, but he never got a chance to play that potentially decisive role when at least 12 cars piled up behind the leaders to force NASCAR to slow the field and allow Kyle Busch to keep from having to fend off what could have been one last challenge.
Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota had been strong all day. He led 37 laps, but dropped back after a restart on Lap 169 when he made a little mistake.
"I just got too far out there," Hamlin said. "The 12 and those guys just had a huge run. They were going to have to either slam into me or make a move to pass me."
Hamlin was talking about Ryan Newman's Dodge, and Newman did sweep past and led a freight train that dumped Hamlin well back in the pack.
But he fought his way back and was right behind Montoya after Busch blunted Jeff Gordon's bid to take the lead with just less than two laps to go.
Montoya - called "my savior all day" by Busch after he'd helped push the eventual winner back into contention after Busch rallied from a lap down - reacted to that move as well and was second. But that left him between a pair of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates and in need of help of his own to go forward.
It was help Montoya didn't expect to get.
"I don't think you can plan anything," said Montoya, who matched his best stock-car oval track finish with second. He was also runner-up at Indianapolis last year. "You depend so much on what people behind you do."
That left it to Hamlin, and it sounded afterward as if he did have a plan - or at least a hope - of what he might have done given the chance.
"I would have had some backlash if I had pushed Juan to a win," Hamlin said. "That's just part of it.
"If it wasn't a teammate I probably would have pushed Juan to the outside if the leader stayed on the inside because Juan and I really worked so well to stay together."
Even with Busch leading, Hamlin said he probably would have pushed Montoya up beside the leader on a final charge.
"If those two would have bogged each other down enough, I would try to get by for the win," Hamlin said. "If he stayed, I was going to have to stay on Kyle's bumper. But if he moved up to block, I was going to make a three-wide move."
Montoya said he was happy to get second. It’s the eighth straight race in which he's finished 20th or better but his first top 10 and top five of the year. It also moved him up to 12th in the points, a jump of five positions.

DAVID POOLE The Charlotte Observer

Denny Hamlin To Do Fan Hospitality At Richmond Int'l Raceway

Guests at Richmond International Raceway this weekend will have a multitude of opportunities to see some of their favorite NASCAR personalities up close and personal in fan hospitality areas at America’s Premier Short Track, Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3.

The Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone fan hospitality area on Saturday, May 3, will be open prior to the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone will feature question and answer sessions with NASCAR drivers Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil; FOX race commentator Larry McReynolds; former NASCAR driver and SPEED-TV analyst Hermie Sadler; track president Doug Fritz; Crown Royal “Your Name Here” contest winner and Grand Marshal Dan Lowry; members of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and NASCAR Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash.

The Party Zone fan hospitality area on Friday, May 2, will be open prior to the Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The Party Zone will feature question and answer sessions with NASCAR drivers Kurt Busch, Kenny Wallace, Scott Wimmer and Mike Wallace; track president Doug Fritz and members of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team.

Both options include pre-race pit passes for that day’s activities (time and weather permitting), appetizers, an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet, beer tickets for fans 21 years of age and older (with valid identification), unlimited sodas and water, live musical entertainment, prizes and games.

Guests who wish to purchase tickets to the fan hospitality areas must have a ticket for that day’s race. Tickets for the Saturday, May 3, Virginia Lottery Green Flag Zone, are $90 and tickets for the Friday, May 2, Party Zone, are $65.

Pre-race pit access on Friday is limited to fans 18 years of age and older. Dress code for Friday is as follows: no open-toed shoes, long pants must be worn, no sleeveless shirts allowed.

For additional information and tickets to the fan hospitality areas and to the Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, as well as the Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, please log on to www.rir.com or call the ticket office at 866-455-7223.

Tickets to Saturday’s race start at $80. Friday’s tickets are $45 (reserved) and $35 (general admission) in advance.

by Richie Denzler

Hamlin is thriving outside the spotlight

Denny Hamlin is looking to become the real Virginia man this weekend, as in the one sweeping the short-track NASCAR Sprint Cup races in that state.
While winning earlier this season at Martinsville Speedway was epic for the Virginia native, taking the victory in Saturday night's Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway would mean even more. After all, Hamlin grew up in the shadow on the 0.75-mile speedway and plans to return to the area with an early race to kick off his new foundation.
Martinsville Speedway is a track where he has a lot of experience in various cars, but Richmond is the one that inspired his dreams of someday making it into NASCAR's elite series.
"Richmond, I mean, that is in the woods of my hometown right there, 15 minutes away," he says. "And so, yeah, I'm going to have a lot of friends and family out there. So everyone knows that this is my Indy, I guess you could say, as far as Tony [Stewart's] concerned.
"So we'll see how it turns out. We always seem to run well there."
Ironically, as Hamlin heads to his hometown area, he does so somewhat in the shadow of both his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. With Kyle Busch off to a hot start, winning seven races in the Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series this season -- including two Cup victories -- and Stewart in high-profile contract talks, Hamlin could get lost in the shuffle.
He's somewhat used to that, especially where Stewart is concerned, but it was Hamlin who handed the team its top points finish during his 2006 rookie year (he was third), and it is Hamlin who is joining Busch in the top five this season (he's fourth in the standings). He's finished no worse than sixth in his last five races and has a top-10 finish in six of the last seven.
Hamlin is the local boy making it big and heading back home this weekend -- yet his name isn't the one grabbing the big headlines this weekend.
Hamlin thinks that is just fine.
He looks around at the media that seemingly underrates his ability and potential -- and uses that to spark his ambition.
"It's just motivation when we don't get the press that I feel like we deserve," he said. "I mean, yeah, Kyle, he's definitely won a couple of races this year. We've won a race. And the last five races we've been the hottest team. I mean, we've never finished out of the top six."
In fact, he says that if everyone is writing about all the other teams, his team members can stay focused and do their jobs without distraction.
"I'm fine with taking a back seat to those guys and showing up on the race track," he says.
Focus is crucial at this level, and Hamlin knows it.
He says that in his first season, he did a good job of avoiding distraction and settling in. In 2007, his sophomore season, that didn't go as well, and he settled for 12th in the standings.
"I think I was going too much for race wins and didn't have the big picture in mind," he says of that season. "And now I've kind of shifted that back over to my goals, and I think it's making me perform better on the race track and giving us the finishes that we're having."
So he plans to continue business as usual. He's not going to try to become flashy or get caught up in all the hype about his teammates and their affairs.
Hamlin is going to keep his mind on what he is trying to do and accomplish -- and let that speak for itself.
His crew chief, Mike Ford, is also notably quiet -- but obviously on top of his game, and he sees the same qualities in his driver.
"It is good to know that you have someone in there that is strictly performance-motivated," he says.
Hamlin clearly is.
He's also branching out, though, and creating the Denny Hamlin Foundation. To kick that off, he's competing in the Denny Hamlin 175 Late Model race at Southside Speedway Thursday night. He, Busch and Curtis Markham will race in the event to benefit research to fight cystic fibrosis.
Hamlin said he wanted to kick off the foundation at the Richmond track.
"It's the track that I went to every Friday night in the '80s and '90s and watched guys like Eddie Johnson and Bugs Hairfield and Roy Hendrick and all those guys race for so many years," he says. "So it's fitting to have it at that track."
He can't think of anywhere he'd rather be come this Thursday night.
"It's going to be really fun," he says "I've been keeping up with the local racing at Southside and other short tracks I used to race at. So as far as having a track that's your hometown track, I mean, that's it. It's on the street where I grew up. So to go back there and see all of the fans that I used to sit in the stands with is going to be pretty amazing.
"And last year we had a great turnout. I believe it was nearly sold out, if not, it was sold out. And it was the first time in years. And that kind of -- it definitely helps with keeping that track alive and not only that, we're able to raise the money for a good charity as well."

Rea White SceneDaily.com

Hamlin, Kyle Busch Ready For Denny Hamlin 175 at Southside Speedway

Chesterfield Virginia's favorite son is returning home Thursday night to light up Southside Speedway and put on a show the fans will be glad they didn't miss. Only this time he's bringing some company. Teammate Kyle Busch will join his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate for the Denny Hamlin 175 to benefit the Denny Hamlin Foundation Thursday night at the Fed Ex Toyota driver's old stomping grounds. They're hoping to raise money to help The Cysic Fibrosis Foundation and people who suffer from CF. This is a cause close to Hamlin's heart, as his cousin Kevin has CF, but is doing well.

NASCAR legend Bobby Allison will be the Grand Marshall for the event. Denny's spotter, Curtis Markham will also be onhand for the race. It promises to be quite an event. Tickets will be on sale on race day, Thursday May 1st, at 3pm. Stop by the front ticket office at the speedway. Adult tickets are $20, children 7-12 are $10 and children under 6 are free. For more information visit the Speedway's website at www.southside-speedway.com

Southside SpeedwaySchedule For May 1

1:00 - Pit Gates Open

2:00 - 3:06 - Practice

3:00 - Grandstand Tickets on Sale

3:15 - 3:30 - Mandatory Driver's Meeting

3:45 - Late Models to the Tech Building

4:00 - Front Gates open to the Fans

4:15 - 4:45 - Late Model Qualifying (2 Laps)

4:15 - Grand Stocks to the Tech Building

4:45 - 5:15 - Grand Stock Qualifying (2 Laps)

5:30 - 6:10 - Mozely Rose Band on the Party Pit Stage

5:45 - Grand Stock Last Chance Race - 10 Laps (If Needed)

5:55 - Late Model Last Chance Race - 10 Laps (if Needed)

6:15 - 6:25 - Live Remotes from Local TV

6:25 - 6:45 - Mozely Rose Band on the Party Pit Stage

6:48 - 7:34 - Pre-Race Ceremonies on the Frontstretch Stage

7:35 - 8:05 - Grand Stock Feature - 50 Laps

8:05- 8:28 - Late Model Driver Introductions on the Frontstretch Stage

8:30 - 9:45 - Late Model Feature - 175 Laps

Denny Hamlin Living A Dream

Relying on good fortune to come across next big thing

In NASCAR, finding the best drivers often left to chance
By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM

April 30, 2008

In the final analysis, Denny Hamlin owes his breakthrough into NASCAR's national divisions not to ability but sheer good luck. Certainly, his talent allowed him to capitalize when the opportunity arose. But had Joe Gibbs Racing not made a call to his late-model team owner about building a few cars for their diversity program, and had Hamlin not turned some heads shaking those cars down, the four-time Cup Series race winner might still be earning $10 an hour welding trailer hitches at his father's shop in Chesterfield, Va.
All too often, that's the way it seems to happen in NASCAR. Major-league baseball teams employ a vast network of scouts who scrutinize players from high schools to Latin America. NFL teams seem to have tape on every college player capable of running a 40-yard dash in 4 seconds or less. NBA executives study college games and international leagues. In those sports, scouting is as thorough as an FBI background check. If you're good, somebody is going to notice. A prospect who comes out of nowhere is an anomaly.
But in NASCAR, it's the status quo. Hamlin broke through only after Gibbs contacted Jim Dean, his late-model team owner, about building cars. Greg Biffle broke through only after the late Benny Parsons recommended him to Jack Roush. Clint Bowyer broke through only after the businessman sponsoring his ARCA car asked friend Richard Childress to keep an eye on the kid. Matt Kenseth broke through only after his late-model crew chief, Robbie Reiser, made the gutsy move to take his program to the now-Nationwide Series circuit. Jeff Gordon broke through only after he switched to stock cars, went to driving schools, and impressed Bill Davis at a tire test.
It goes on and on and on. In a technology-driven sport, talent is often mined through the most unscientific of methods -- word-of-mouth and fate. There is no "scouting" as the practice is employed in baseball and football, whereby people with an eye for natural ability are sent out into the hinterlands to find prospects with the tools to make it big.
Occasionally a kid like Joey Logano or Reed Sorenson sets the world on fire at an early age, and the big teams take notice. But typically, drivers break through in one of three ways -- they bring money or a sponsor to the table; they know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody; or they're strictly the beneficiary of good fortune.
"Roush has those gong shows, and you have to have done something to get invited. But it basically comes down to fate," said Dean, who runs a successful late-model program for which Hamlin once competed. "I mean, Denny's situation is amazing. If Mark McFarland doesn't win the [NASCAR Weekly Racing Series] national championship in 2003, [Gibbs] probably never calls us, they never meet Denny, and Denny is welding trailer hitches at Chesterfield Trailer and Hitch for $10 an hour. He would still be there. It's just a fluke. He had the right timing."
In a sport where millions are spent to make cars go fast, it's staggering that so often, finding the right driver to pilot those cars is left to the whims of fate. Yes, Hendrick Motorsports seemed to unearth a diamond in Jimmie Johnson, but the two-time defending Cup champion helped himself by putting together a business proposal and learning how to court sponsors. It may seem in some cases that the team is doing the heavy lifting of driver development, but more often than not the prospect met somebody or did something to help smooth the path of advancement. Scouting, as baseball teams readily will attest, is expensive and time consuming. Big NASCAR teams don't have anyone whose job it is to comb local tracks and pore over Saturday night short-track footage in search of the next big thing.

But what if they did? What if Hendrick or Gibbs hired a former driver or crew chief and turned him into a scout, sending him each weekend to places like Hickory and Greenville-Pickens and South Boston with the job of eyeballing drivers who might be able to make it to the next level? Why not use the same tactics that have proven so successful in other sports, rather than relying on luck? Yes, it would cost money. But somebody like Hamlin or Kenseth might have been discovered years earlier. And somebody like Philip Morris, a 42-year-old who won everything at the short-track level but never had a real chance on the national circuits, might not have been overlooked.
"He can go win in a damn [Nationwide] car right now," Dean said. "He can flat drive. He's smart. He was a good driver back in the day. I think his name killed him. When it was Winston Cup, they wanted nothing to do with a guy named Philip Morris. That guy, he's unquestionably one of the best there is. That guy can get up on the wheel and flat drive it. You can put that guy in anything and he'll go win for you, if you give him a good car. He just never got a shot. Now he's 40 years old and nobody would put him in a car. But there's still nobody better out there in late models. There's nobody better."
With executives from teams like the Boston Red Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks now involved in NASCAR, you'd think a more sophisticated approach to scouting would be inevitable. And it might prove handy, given the current state of driver development. The two big trends of the last decade -- hiring U.S. Auto Club drivers and ex-open wheelers -- are coming to an end. The USAC pipeline hasn't produced anyone notable since Kasey Kahne, and the struggles of a few former Indianapolis 500 champions has made everyone realize the transition isn't as seamless as Juan Montoya made it appear. Now the pendulum is swinging back to late-model drivers like Hamlin and Bowyer. And promising late-model drivers, because of the volume and the often stark differences in local track competition, can be much more difficult to find.
But given the skills needed to successfully drive the new car, Dean believes teams need to find them. "Guys who are good on short tracks are the guys who are going to be good in these cars," he said. "It's a matter of being more of an athlete, having more of a seat-of-the-pants feel to your car. You have to be able to give more back to your crew, but there's a lot less adjustment now. So it's up to the driver more, and I think that falls right in a late-model guy's lap. Because the skills that they learn exceed what an open-wheel asphalt guy learns. They have to learn more in the seat than the late-model guys do."
The top four drivers in the Sprint Cup point standings -- Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hamlin -- all came out of late-model backgrounds. So did sixth-place Kevin Harvick, seventh-place Bowyer and eighth-place Biffle. So did legends like David Pearson and Cale Yarborough and Dale Earnhardt. Fads like open-wheelers and motorcycle riders come and go, but the late-model drivers remain the cornerstone of driver development in NASCAR. Recognizing that is the easy part. Actually finding the next Hamlin or Biffle is considerably more difficult, especially in a system that relies so heavily on chance.