Can We Get A Mulligan?

In the game of golf, if you make a crappy shot you get a chance to try it again. You take a mulligan. The last shot is forgotten about, the new one is the focus and you move on. Wouldn't it be nice if NASCAR had mulligans?

No doubt Dover would be Denny Hamlin's mulligan. He was on a roll up until that point, posting 3 consecutive 3rd place finishes, making the Chase and being reset to 6th. Things were going great, the team was flying high. And it seems Hamlin finally got out of the dog house with his team.

Joe Gibbs has a deal with his three race teams, the one highest in points gets the best hotel rooms, and the guy in last place, well let's just say they better get up early because they have a long drive ahead of them. The only up side to that is teammate Kyle Busch had a worse day than Denny, not that that is a good thing.

It is devastating to have car problems. An accident you can blame yourself for, but a leaking rear gear, well that's just a tough pill to swallow. There are 26 races to get the trouble out and the final 10 are the do or dies. The Chase is the last chance of the season to show what you're made of and well.... race # 2 just didn't showcase the Fed Ex crew's true talents.

But it's not time to throw in the towel. Hide the white flag, don't panic and do not give an interview proclaiming that you're done. That would be a mistake. Anything is possible and while Denny may not be taking home the big trophy, he can still nest himself solidly in the Top 10.

There were tears, frustration and a little screaming. When I calmed down, I realized that Denny was back out on the track and able to finish the race. While a 38th place finish is never a good thing, it is always better than a DNF.

In spite of the difficult weekend, I am proud of Denny and the entire Fed Ex team. To rebound from adversity, focus on the goal of finishing the best they can and look forward to Kansas is awe inspiring.

To wake up on a rough day to find a comment from Denny on the blog, out of the blue... well that's just beyond description. On a random day, in the midst of Lowe's testing and just because he wanted to... that's just Denny Hamlin. It's what I've come to expect from him and while I must admit I'm not surprised at his heart, I am still awed by his friendship.

Kansas may not be Denny's best track, but anything is possible. There are 8 races left in the Chase and while there may not be a chance at a mulligan, something tells me Denny doesn't need it. Thanks for everything Denny... I will be watching at Kansas and rooting for my friend.