Time for a change?

 Since the first time I heard the name Denny Hamlin, I knew there was something special about this guy.  I've had the utmost respect for Joe Gibbs since the day he came into NASCAR.  He produces champions, he's of NFL greatness, so of course he knows how to mold young men into the finest gold ever produced.  Bobby Labonte exudes class and character and he will forever be the face of JGR to me.  Then there's Tony Stewart.  The firecracker who brought spark and charisma to the world of Motorsports.  My personal feelings for Smoke aside, you can't deny his greatness after winning two championships and going out on his own to start a team that will sustain him after retirement, basing his organization on the model of none other than his boss and mentor, Joe Gibbs.

In my opinion, Joe Gibbs and his son JD know how to pick the best of the best and Denny Hamlin is no exception.  His first win came after adversity that would've sidelined lesser competitors. But this rookie proved he had what it takes to be a champion.  So this season's struggles don't concern me in the least, and I don't feel like any changes are necessary for his crew chief or his pitcrew.

Denny says Mike Ford's his guy and if Ford goes, he goes.  He's stood up for his shot caller numerous times and the loyalty runs deep.  Rumors of a crew chief swap have run rampant and Hamlin insists there will be no changes if the boss plans to keep him onboard.  This is yet another quality that endears me to the FedEx driver.  Last weekend's race at Pocono looked promising for the much needed, highly coveted win the entire # 11 team so desperately wants to get under their belt for the 2011 season and yet again the unthinkable happened.  Only this time, the laps wound down quicker than Denny could rebound and he wound up 19th and dropped to 12th in point standings. 

Denny Hamlin has said all along that 2011 is his season. He is determined to be the man to dethrone Five Time and as a staunch hater of Jimmie Johnson and all of Hendrick Motorsports, I'm all for that plan.  So what's happened? Why does it seem all the wheels are falling off at once and the entire season may explode in Denny's face?  I have but one explanation.  Distractions and high self expectations have taken my heroes focus off of the task of claiming his first in many trophies and making his mark on the sport of auto racing.  Girls, friends and outside interests have become drama with a life of its own that the driver can't quite seem to squash.  The people closest to him try to protect him from the bullshit of life but there will always be people who don't respect him and have his best interest at heart.  Shy of cleaning house and wiping out all the negativity the only hope is to shut out everything and everyone that doesn't lift him up and make him better.

I've said all along that Denny can be his own worst enemy, and unfortunately that is evident this year.  He starts to doubt his own talents and takes his eye off the prize and he has the same result as Peter who took his eyes off of Jesus while he was walking on water to him.  You can't always explain why things are going so well, but the last thing you need to is to start second guessing, questioning and doubting.  Denny knows he's capable of it, he knows his crew chief is the one to get him there and he knows he's a rockstar. Now he just needs to start walking, talking, eating, sleeping...yeah some more of that may help too.... and breathing like a Champion.  Your fans believe in you, I believe in you and now my amazing man, you need to start believing in you. Get back to basics, put the blinders on and focus on filling up your house with race trophies and making room for that coveted Championship trophy. The world is waiting on you to take it by storm...so what are you waiting for?

FedEx Crew Defends Pit Crew Championship

2010 wasn't just a fluke. The pit crew that services the #11 FedEx Toyota on pit road week after week showcased their talents against the best of the best on May 19th at the Time Warner Cable Arena for the 2011 Pit Crew Challenge.  It was up to the defending champions to set the bar high and they did just that!

 The No. 11 crew beat the No. 22 of Kurt Busch to set up a semifinal matchup against the crowd-favorite No. 88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr., which had just beaten the No. 27 of Paul Menard.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on hand to support his crew, but it wasn't enough and Hamlin’s team prevailed in one of the closest races of the evening — 22.259 seconds to 23.325.

Setting up the semifinal, the No. 14 team of owner/driver Tony Stewart beat the No. 48 across the finish line, but drew 10 seconds of penalties for fueling issues. As a result, the No. 48 team advanced.  Fueling problems with the new closed system mandated by NASCAR this year cost Stewart dearly in last Sunday’s race at Dover. Though the Pit Crew Challenge featured the fueling system in place last year, it nevertheless proved the downfall of the No. 14 Chevrolet team, which had performed flawlessly in advancing to the semifinals.

Do you think the agony of defeat was on the minds of the FedEx crew as they prepared to show the world just who ruled pit road? You bet your sweet ass it was and the No. 11 completed its stop — jacking the car, fueling and changing front and rear tires — and pushed its Toyota across the finish line in 22.298 seconds to 22.714 for the No. 48 Chevrolet. 

The look of elation on the face of team owner Joe Gibbs says it all.  His team is the first back-to-back champions of the pit crew challenge and truly are the greatest in the sport!  And if you want to know how the driver, Denny Hamlin, feels about his guys...let's just say he knows they're all bigger than him and could totally kick his ass.  Either way, the entire team kicks the competition's asphalt every week and they showcased their bad ass skills and prevailed as the baddest on the planet...in the place where it is a good thing to be bad.

The FedEx Toyota Crew of Champions is:

• Scott Wood - Gas Man
•  Justin White - Second Gas Man
• Nick Krizmanich - Front Tire Changer
• Brandon Pegram - Front Tire Carrier
• Mike Hicks - Rear Tire Changer
• Heath Cherry - Rear Tire Carrier
• Nate Bolling - Jack Man

 
Congratulations to the entire FedEx crew, Joe Gibbs racing and Denny Hamlin. We don't just support the driver every week, we cheer for you and are so thankful for the training, sacrifice and hard work you put into the greatest job and best driver on the planet. This was a well deserved victory...bask in the glory and soak up the elation.  We look forward to seeing you shine at the Coca Cola 600.

Hamlin, Fed Ex Racing Storm To Second At Bristol

Once again – and for the third time in three races at Bristol Motor Speedway - Denny Hamlin drove the #11 FedEx Toyota forward from a mid-pack start into a battle for the win before ultimately finishing a Bristol career-best of second in Sunday’s Food City 500.

The second-place finish keeps a string of great runs at Bristol alive. One year ago, Hamlin held the lead before fuel pickup problems left him in sixth place, and last fall Hamlin and the FedEx team put together a solid race to finish third.

“We had a long-run car today - we didn’t have that short run car when we needed it at the end,” explained Hamlin after the event. “There were about 300,000 FedEx employees that were hoping that we were going to get a win today, I'm just trying to get a win for them but we came up a little bit short.

Congratulations to Kyle (Busch). It’s great to get a one-two finish for Joe Gibbs Racing and just can’t thank this whole team enough. A good job on pit road today, very solid. We feel like we deserve to be in victory lane and hopefully we’ll get that done next week,”

Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch took the checkered flag after a long battle with Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson to make it a one-two JGR finish. The third JGR car, driven by Joey Logano, experienced engine problems late in the race and was scored in 38th place.

The second-place finish marks Hamlin’s best results of the still-young 2009 season and sees him jump from 14th to eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings through six races. The series now heads to Martinsville Speedway, a favorite track of Hamlin and the site of his most-recent Cup Sseries win.

From the drop of the green flag, Hamlin charged forward and quickly erased the memory of qualifying 24th from his mind. As he was putting most of the competition in his rear view mirror, the only problem the team encountered was a rising water temperature – a problem that was exacerbated when the yellow came out and the field was slowed.

By lap 55 Hamlin had cracked the top 20 and ran in 16th place but things were about to even get better for the #11FedEx Express team. On lap 64, with the team scored in 15th place, Crew Chief Mike Ford called Hamlin onto pit road and opted for a two tire change in effort to gain track position. The decision paid off for the FedEx team as Hamlin gained five sports and lined up to restart tenth.

Hamlin continued to carve his way through the field, claiming sixth place on lap 100, fifth on lap 110, and fourth place on lap 111 – all while turning the quickest laps of any car on the track.
When the caution flew on lap 123 Hamlin was running fourth and was very happy with the way his car felt. The crew made no chassis adjustments and a very quick stop by the FedEx team had Hamlin out to restart third behind leader Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson in second place.On lap 130 Hamlin claimed second from Johnson after a fierce, multi-lap duel with the three-time Sprint Cup Champion.

On lap 191, Hamlin made his fourth pit stop of the afternoon; this time Ford calling for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment to in hopes of chasing down Busch and Johnson – the main rivals all afternoon. A long green-flag run ensued with Hamlin chasing Johnson for the second spot. On lap 300 Hamlin took over the runner-up spot from Johnson and set his sights on Busch and on lap 317 Hamlin moved to the point, dicing through lapped traffic to take the lead from his JGR teammate.

Hamlin’s lead would be short-lived, however, as the yellow came out on lap 319 and he pitted from the lead on lap 321 for four tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment. Jimmie Johnson beat Hamlin out of the pits to retake the lead with Hamlin lined up in second.

Hamlin continued to run second to Johnson until lap 359 when JGR teammate Kyle Busch assumed the second spot. With 100 laps remaining in the Food City 500 Hamlin was in third place, 1.8 seconds behind then-leader Jimmie Johnson.

The FedEx Express team rose to the occasion on the final pit stop of the afternoon as Hamlin pulled onto pit road on lap 444. Hamlin came in third and pulled out in second –right behind teammate Kyle Busch – and it was a position he would hold for the remainder of the race.

On lap 495 a small window of opportunity opened for Hamlin to make one last charge for the win when Joey Logano experienced engine problems and brought out the final yellow of the day to set up a green-white-checkered finish. However Busch was very strong on the restart and Hamlin was forced to hold off a charging Jimmie Johnson to take second.

Is It Just Me Or....

Is the lack of testing hurting the men I love to cheer and boo from the East Coast to the West Coast and all points between?

Last night's Auto Club 500 was the most uneventful race I have seen in quite a long day. I hate crashes, especially when it involves my Fed Ex Toyota but seeing Kevin Harvick crash into the wall and end his streak of races without a DNF was the highlight of the 250 lap event. Every other caution was for rain drops, threatening to shorten yet another race. Thankfully the rain let up and we got to see all of the scheduled laps.

I grew tired of follow the leader a number of years ago and when the leader hails out of the Hendrick camp or is defending series Champion Jimmie Johnson I totally lose interest. I'm over it and ready to see someone else lead and win something. Which is why I am thrilled for Matt Kenseth's 2 for 2 streak he's got going on.

I'm a die-hard Joe Gibbs Racing fan, I want one of my three Toyotas up front, preferably Denny Hamlin every race for every lap. But if that can't happen I'll root for the Roush boys any day. They are all class acts who are talented beyond belief. Their owner may leave a little to be desired but he knows how to get it done. And Kenseth has shown that flashy isn't always the way to get attention.

Denny Hamlin had an impressive sixth place finish, jumping up 13 spots to 14th, just 150 points back of the leader and a mere 13 points out of the top 12 coveted spots to make it into the Chase. Quite a turn around from last week's Daytona 500 crash.

Amazing pit stops, great hustle and a never quit attitude by driver Denny Hamlin showed that the Fed Ex Freight Toyota could hang with the big boys. The real season starts when the haulers roll into Fontana and when Hamlin made his way out on the track he proved that he was ready to race.

The Fed Ex Racing crew heads for the bright lights of Las Vegas this weekend. High roller Hamlin, who proved he had luck on his side with his friendly wagers at the Bud Shootout Selection Show among his Toyota comrades, will be hoping to charm lady luck and attempt to bring home a trophy from the land of the rising son. Sounds appropriate doesn't it?

Bristol Shot In The Arm Hamlin Needed

Michigan was not a field of dreams for Denny Hamlin. In fact, it was more like a living nightmare. He went out first to qualify and wound up starting 37th. He fought his way to a solid Top 10 running spot when the unthinkable happened. With just 6 laps to go, his engine blew up. With a bubble spot in the Chase, it was the only thing Denny was praying didn't happen. But it did.

With the frustration still on the tip of his tongue, Hamlin gave an interview and said that the team made stupid choices and they didn't deserve to be in the Chase. A logical thought after his last 3 months. Apparently, it wasn't the popular thing to say and the press crucified him over it. Kyle Petty berated him while fans booed. The media blew it all out of proportion, as they are known to do, and it insighted a near riot. Nothing like kicking a man when he's down.

With just three critical races left to the Chase cut-off, Denny knew that Bristol was a make or break night for him. Have good luck, take a quick breath. Continue your bad luck and it was time to kiss a spot in the points battle goodbye. Jeff Hammond named D Ham as one of the drivers on his list to miss the Chase.

One thing you should never do, for all those critics out there, is count Denny Hamlin out. No matter how grim things may look for him, never underestimate the power of Virginia's finest. Oh yeah, and never count out his fans. Hamlin needed a shot of self esteem and a boost of confidence and his fans delivered.

When qualifying was over, Denny was sitting a solid 21st. The same starting position he had for the Nationwide Series race on Friday night. He made his way through traffic and was running 10th when he got into the 7 car of Mike Wallace with 31 laps to go ending his night in the Food City 250.

This time when he climbed out of his crinkled 32 Dollar General Toyota, there was a smile on his face. Despite a DNF his confidence never waivered and he was happy. There was something different about Denny and I just knew that he was going to have a great Sharpie 500.

Denny Hamlin had the 11 Fed Ex Freight Toyota running in 10th spot by lap 100. He lost 3 positions following pit stops but quickly moved his way into 7th on lap 185. Hamlin reported the car was very good even though it needed more forward bite.

Crew Chief Mike Ford brought the Fed Ex Freight Toyota down pit road under caution on lap 299. Hamlin was happy with the race car and they made a chassis adjustment, put 1/2 lb of air pressure in the right rear and sent him back out in 4th spot.

With 79 laps to go, Denny passed the 24 of Jeff Gordon to take over 3rd spot and move himself up one spot to 11th in points. Then it was on. Sitting behind the 99 of Carl Edwards and the 18 of Kyle Busch, Hamlin was looking for a chance to pounce. With a caution for debris with 49 laps to go, the Fed Ex crew pulled off the money stop and put on 4 tires and filled it full of Sunoco race fuel in less than 13 seconds.

Hamlin battled back and forth with teammate Kyle Busch for 2nd while Carl Edwards sat comfortably in the lead. Denny had a front row seat for all the action between Edwards and Busch and was praying for the two to wreck each other so he could take over the cat bird seat.

It wasn't in the cards for Hamlin, but the solid third place finish lifted him in the points race and proved that patience and confidence pay off. His post race interview was incredible. While D Ham refused to let himself off the hook as far as the points battle, he did admit that a good finish was the shot of self confidence he was needing.

The team prepares for California and then heads to Hamlin's hometrack in Richmond, Virginia. With a renewed sense of confidence and a few added degrees to the fire burning in Denny Hamlin's belly, the Fed Ex team will be one tough opponent come race day.