Quite the Return

The look of relief and sheer exhaustion on Denny Hamlin's face at the end of 501 miles at The Track Too Tough to Tame said it all!  It was a grueling battle that left the #11 wounded warrior totally spent.  My favorite track on the circuit proved to be quite the arena to show the NASCAR world that rusty or not, Denny Hamlin was back and ready to rumble.  He fought all night against a gritty track and competitors that were looking to see if there were any cracks in the foundation of the FedEx team and its driver. They found none.  A solid second place finish helped move Hamlin up four spots in the point standings, which is definitely an improvement.  But the battle isn't over yet.

Next weekend, the All Star event gives Hamlin a chance to have some fun, race with his friends and not worry about points.  Always an exciting event, it will be wonderful to be at home for two weeks and relax a little.  The most exciting part of the entire race season, All Star weekend is always a lot of fun for the drivers and the fans.  And it is a much needed reprieve before the Coca Cola 600. 

All in all, last night's Southern 500 at Darlington was a great race with amazing results.  Watching Denny stretch before he climbed behind the wheel made me a little nervous, but I'm thankful he made it out of the race in one piece and gave Joe Gibbs Racing a 1-2 finish.  If there was ever any doubt that Hamlin is fighting hard for wins and to secure a spot in the chase, that is all but erased from even the biggest skeptics mind.  Hamlin is ready and his fans are elated.  Welcome back, Denny.  You have made us proud!