Richmond Delivers for Denny Hamlin, FedEx Crew

Denny Hamlin is a bubble boy no longer. He clinched his spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup after capturing his third consecutive third place finish while back home in Richmond, Virginia for the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.

Hurricane Hanna forced a rainout of qualifying and the field was set by points which saw Hamlin start Sunday's race from the eleventh spot on the grid. He quickly went forward and, with a car that was able to run the low line, climbed into the top-five by the time NASCAR threw a competition caution on lap 35.

On pit road, crew chief Mike Ford called for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment, and the FedEx crew worked quick to send Hamlin out fourth. Immediately following the restart on lap 40, Hamlin dove past Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon to claim the second spot on lap 47. Thirty laps later he passed Kevin Harvick for the lead but it would last only four laps.

A caution on lap 96 brought Hamlin to pit road again and the team worked to get him out to line up second for the restart. Through a series of cautions, Hamlin held the position and didn't drop out of the top-five until the seventh caution of the day came out on lap 203.

With more and more teams taking two tires or risking longer runs on older tires, the field shuffled during a lap 226 caution and after stopping for four tires, Hamlin restarted 17. It was at this point, however, that Hamlin put some of his best driving on display, slicing through the pack and working his way into the top ten by lap 250.

The FedEx crew earned him another spot on pit road on lap 297 and Hamlin lined up to restart eighth on lap 303. Despite fighting a really loose car and working with the crew to improve the handling, Hamlin held the spot until the second-to-last caution of the day on lap 360. Ford called for four tires, a splash of fuel, and an air pressure adjustment. Hamlin lined up eighth for the restart and then went to work on the field again. He caught the lead cars of Johnson and Stewart and, as the #48 and #20 ran side by side for several consecutive laps, Hamlin closed the gap but ultimately couldn't catch the pair.

As the laps counted down, Hamlin held the third spot and was happy to post a much-needed and well-deserved finish with the Chase on the line.

"Our first goal today, of course, was to get in the Chase but we also managed to keep the FedEx Camry up front all day," said Hamlin. "It's great for this team. We've been up and down this season but we are clicking now and had some good runs at Bristol, California and now here in Richmond. We worked hard to get back into this Chase. This was our goal at the start of the season, to make the Chase and win some races. We like the tracks we visit over the next ten weeks so we’re just excited to see what we can do - and hopefully keep this momentum going."

Quite an impressive run by Hamlin in the Nationwide Series race as well. The #18 Farm Bureau Insurance Toyota started deep in the field from 27th place. The field was set by owner’s points and with the 18 car only running a limited schedule Hamlin had his work cut out for him.
But he didn’t take long to get to the front. He finished 4th and was pleased with his performance. It was a long day for the double duty drivers, but ultimately it worked out well for Denny Hamlin and his entire Joe Gibbs Racing crew.

Denny and the FedEx team head to Loudon, New Hampshire for the first race in the Chase. Look for Hamlin to be a force to reckon with in the final 10 races of the season.

The Race To The Chase Is Heating Up

I don't think your luck is hiding under there Denny, but good try. "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity". You've done the preparation....now find the opportunity and take advantage of it!
~Thanks for the quote Lyndsey~

Going in to Bristol, with just 3 races remaining in the Race to the Chase, I've asked my friend Colleen MacDonald to share her thoughts and insight on the season so far, Denny's chances at Bristol and her predicitions for making the Chase and where Denny will finish.

The blown engine at Michigan was frustrating for Denny Hamlin. Do you feel he can pull it together and make the Chase?

Becca: Yes, I do think he can pull together to make the Chase. It’s frustrating to blow up just 6 laps from the finish. He fought so hard to make his way from 37th starting position to a solid Top 10 finish only to watch it go up in smoke, literally. The FedEx Crew is capable of an amazing rebound as long as Denny keeps his head in the game and puts last week behind him and focuses on getting it done.

Colleen: 100% yes. I can't even imagine how frustrated Denny was after that race. I was listening to his scanner all day then all of a sudden, "I'M BLOWING UP". I couldn't believe it. I'm pretty confident all this bad luck is behind him and he can go out and try to have fun.

Heading to Bristol, a tough short track race, what do you feel are Denny’s chances of getting good finish and making gains in the points battle?

Becca: I think they are very good. Denny does well on short tracks and as long as he avoids tangles on the track, he can come away with a solid finish and make his way back up into the points hunt. As long as he hangs on to a Top 12 position in the Chase, he will be fine once the final 10 races begin. The goal at this point is to be Top 12 after Richmond and let NASCAR reset the field and go from there.

Colleen: Denny is great at Bristol. He could easily have two wins there. Last year at this time, he had the best car on the track. It was a rocketship. I know he would have won but I believe they were trying something new with the engine since he was a lock in the chase. It blew up. He wasn't even upset in his interview. He will gain lots of points this weekend.

Out of the remaining races on the schedule, where do you feel Denny has the best chance of a win?

Becca: I think he will be tough to beat at Richmond and Martinsville. He wants desperately to win at the Virginia tracks and will be putting all of his energy into those two especially. But I truly believe he could win every one of the final 13 races. He has been a contender every week and he should never be counted out no matter what kind of luck he and the team have been having lately.

Colleen: Bristol and Richmond for sure. He did have a great car earlier in the year at California but he got into the wet stuff on the track and his day was over so you never know. Bring the same car back Denny.

What is the track that you fear may give Hamlin the most difficulty?

Becca: I don’t think any of the tracks will give Denny any trouble. I think the biggest obstacle right now is confidence and luck. Finding what works and sticking to it, avoiding accidents and having good pit stops is the critical key to good finishes. As soon as Denny shakes the frustration he’s been dealing with and gets his rhythm back, he will be tough to beat.

Colleen: I think he'll be great at all of them.

The # 11 car has had some pretty tough breaks lately. What are your thoughts on the performance of the team so far?

Becca: I think Denny has become his own worst critic. He wants to win everything and pushes him self extremely hard. I admire his desire to improve and his determination but I wish he would cut himself some slack at times. He is talented and has worked hard to get where he is. He needs to see the good as well as the bad. Simply being Denny Hamlin is good enough for me, but I do respect his aspirations to be the best. Building momentum and having solid finishes will help to change Denny’s mood and outlook.

Colleen: That's a tough question. They have been performing great but it's that damn bad luck that keeps following this team. The 18 and 99 have had all the good luck this season but that doesn't last forever. I'll say one thing, the pit stops have been excellent. That's a huge bonus. They were on fire at Michigan.

Where do you predict Denny will finish in the point standings at the end of the season?

Becca: I think Denny can finish in the Top 5 in points. The other drivers that have won just a single race or no races at all aren’t running any better than he is right now and he can compete with Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr for a Top 5 spot. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne will be hard to beat in wins but the other guys are little to no competition to him at this point, in my opinion.

Colleen: Top 5

Richmond and Martinsville, both hometown tracks for Chesterfield native Hamlin, are coming up. Do you feel Denny can sweep his final 2008 stop at his Virginia short tracks?

Becca: After Hamlin missed a Sprint Cup win at Richmond in the spring, I know Hamlin will be on fire for a victory there in a few weeks. Denny expressed to me his deep desire to win again at Martinsville. I asked him what one track he wanted to win at the most and he said Martinsville. He said that winning there in front of friends and family meant a lot to him and he hoped to win there again in the fall. Because of that, I think he will be focused and ready to prove the Virginia boy can get it done at home. I can’t wait to see how those races end up. Hopefully I’ll be talking to him about his wins at home.

Colleen: Yes, Yes, Yes. I know it, I feel it. Especially Martinsville.

If you could say anything to Denny and the team, what would it be?

Becca: I would simply say don’t give up. You have come so far and it’s not time to throw in the towel. I’m proud of you regardless of how you finish but I know you are capable of winning every week. Stay focused, have faith and have fun. If you’re not having fun then you’re not going to win.

Colleen: Don't give up. Please try to stay positive. All your fans know you can do it. We are behind you and the 11 team 100%.

Some pretty serious Nationwide Series fines for JGR. What are your feelings on that?

Becca: I hate to hear that Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff are suspended indefinitely. From the No. 18 team, car chief Dorian Thorsen, engine tuner Michael Johnson, and crew member Toby Bigelow have been placed on indefinite suspension. From the No. 20 team, car chief Richard Bray and engine tuner Dan Bajek have been indefinitely suspended. The hardest thing to swallow is that the drivers were placed on probation and they weren’t responsible for any of it. The entire penalty is a little harsh to me but I do respect NASCAR’s decision. I think the thought was that the Toyotas were going to be robbed of horsepower again and the team simply wanted to prevent being punished for their hard work. Unfortunately, they cast a bad light on Toyota and their accomplishments as well as Joe Gibbs Racing. Tough times fall on every team and I know JGR can rebound from this and come out stronger and better for having endured this.

Colleen: Well, that really bothered me. I'm a huge fan of JGR's Nationwide team. That's when I became a Denny fan. It was a big mistake made by some employees at JGR and they are paying for it now. I'm sure Joe Gibbs will rally his troops together and turn this around.

Thank you so much for your thoughts Colleen. As one of Denny's biggest fans, I know you are watching closely to see how D Ham and the team will finish out the season. We both know the Fed Ex Team has what it takes to shake this bad luck and hopefully we will be talking about Denny's Virginia wins in front of his hometown crowd.


What are your thoughts on the questions I've posed? Do you think Denny can make the Chase? Can he win at Richmond and Martinsville? Drop us a line and let us know how you predict the Chase going for Denny.