Like Being Stuck Without A Date To Prom

Going into Sunday's Good Sam Club 500 at Talladega, I was absolutely terrified.  After losing Dan Wheldon last Sunday in a horrific crash at Las Vegas during the IndyCar finale, I was more than a little unsettled at the idea of Denny Hamlin returning to the track.  But it wasn't just any track, it was Talladega, the sight of a scary crash for Hamlin just a few years ago that still has me shaking in my boots and thanking God for keeping Denny safe.  I cried as the cars began the pace laps, kept whispering prayers of protection for the FedEx wheelman and kept my eyes glued to the screen for every single lap.  But what I saw still leaves me baffled.  As the laps started to tick off, Hamlin found himself alone, without a drafting partner, even after Ryan Newman had promised to hook up with the #11 car.  Newman had found his team owner, Tony Stewart, and had abandoned Hamlin for a chance at leading laps with the #14 car.  This left Hamlin a lap down, searching for help anywhere he could find it.

Luckily, the caution came out, Hamlin was the Lucky Dog and he was back on the lead lap.  But still dateless.  He was searching for anyone who would help him, ticking off the likes of Earnhardt Jr, who used some pretty disgusting language to express his frustration.  But Karma is a cruel mistress and the #39 car of Newman was involved in a crash that ended his chances of being competitive and he ended the day 16 laps down.  Fellow JGR teammates, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano had been sambaing their way to the front of the field, only to have Logano involved in a crash and a flat tire destroyed his left front fender.  Finally!  A light at the end of the tunnel for Hamlin, who quickly paired up with Kyle Busch as Logano found his way to Tony Stewart and tucked his damaged fender behind the #14 to reduce the effects of his damage.  But just like the old saying goes, what goes around comes back around and Kyle Busch also found himself in an accident and Hamlin was once again searching for someone to dance with.

It was the #15 car of Michael Waltrip who came to Hamlin's rescue time after time.  He made sure Hamlin always had a partner and if he was needed, he found his way to the #11 and assisted however possible. Talk about your class acts! Thank you Michael Waltrip! You truly are a good friend to Denny and I can't tell you enough how much your support was appreciated.

By the end of the race, Hamlin must've felt like he'd been rode hard and put away wet. He saw more action than a gigolo on a Saturday night and no doubt needed a long hot shower with a good scrub brush to wash the effects of the day away. It was exhausting and heart breaking to witness and his 8th place finish was hard fought for.  At least when he spun in the late stages of the race he escaped with no ill effects and my heart could resume beating normally. 

It was a difficult day to say the least.  The thoughts of Dan Wheldon's wife and her two sons is still heavy on my mind and my heart aches for her and his family and friends. The motorsports community is reeling from tragic loss and this fan is still experiencing some sleepless nights worrying about the driver she cares so deeply for.  It is a dangerous sport made worse by drivers who outdrive their abilities and take stupid chances too early in the race.  Thankfully the day is over, everyone is safe and sound and Martinsville is only a few days away. 

If I were to sum it up, I think my words would fail me. So I'll quote Denny himself "The best I can describe it is we were stuck without a date to the prom, so I was just hitting on everyone's mom."  Well said Denny, and on that note I say...on to Martinsville

Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin ends string of setbacks with third-place Michigan run

Coming off two weeks of frustration, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin finally got the finish he felt he deserved in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup LifeLock 400.

Hamlin, who had seen strong runs the last two races derailed by a cut tire at Dover and a fuel-pump issue at Pocono last weekend, suffered no setbacks Sunday as he finished third at Michigan International Speedway.

“We got a new race car here,” Hamlin said after netting his third top-five and fifth top-10 of the season. “We were strong all day. We had a top-five car all day. So, it's good to finally finish where we belong. I'm proud of this whole team. We were definitely a car that could contend for a top-two or top-three spot all day.”

Hamlin trailed only Roush Fenway Racing’s Greg Biffle off pit road following the day’s final pit stops with 46 laps to go. But after failing to close in on Biffle and getting passed by eventual race winner Mark Martin and the race’s dominant driver, Jimmie Johnson, it appeared Hamlin might have to settle for a fifth-place finish.

Biffle and Johnson both ran out gas in the last two laps, however, and that allowed Hamlin to move up to third in the final running order.

While certainly satisfied with his finish, Hamlin didn’t enjoy having to be mindful of an uncertain fuel-mileage situation with almost all the frontrunners in the closing laps.

“I kicked myself for not running harder because I was rolling the [throttle] pretty big at the end," he said. "But, I think it was just a bait thing. I think [Biffle] baited [Johnson] to come get him, and they ended up both running out of fuel. We were all in the same boat there; it's just who wanted to risk winning the race versus finishing. I think that's what happened."

With his solid performance, Hamlin not only broke out of his recent mini-slump but also moved above the cutoff spot to make NASCAR’s Chase For The Sprint Cup.

After entering the day 12th in points, Hamlin is now 10th and has a little more breathing room with 11 races before the field is set.

"I hate running like that, but that's what you have to do to get to the end,” Hamlin said of the fuel-economy run. “I'm just proud of our whole team. We worked on fuel mileage a little bit during testing at other race tracks and it paid off here at Michigan.

“For the most part, it was a solid day. We had a top-four or top-five car all day, and it paid off at the end."

Press Releases Following Lifelock 400 ~ Michigan

Better luck for Hamlin

Denny Hamlin's third-place finish was his first in the top10 since April.
"We definitely need to get back on track," Hamlin said. "We need to start building. We've got to get back to solid finishes and make sure we solidify our place in the Chase and we don't have to race our way in going into Richmond."

Hamlin climbed two spots to 10th in the points with his performance.

DENNY HAMLIN
No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry ~ Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd

How was your run today? "I hate running like that, but that's what you have to do to get to the end. I'm just proud of our whole FedEx Express team. We worked on fuel mileage a little bit during testing at other race tracks and it paid off here at Michigan. For the most part, it was a solid day. We had a top-four or top-five car all day, and it paid off at the end."

How did you feel about it ending up a fuel-mileage race? "I don't know. I think we were pretty good. I kicked myself for not running harder because I was rolling the 'five-in' (throttle) pretty big at the end. But, I think it was just a bait thing. I think the 16 (Greg Biffle) baited the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) to come get him, and they ended up both running out of fuel. We were all in the same boat there, it's just who wanted to risk winning the race versus finishing. I think that's what happened."

What were you thinking at the end of the race? "I was just thinking how much I though I saved during the course of the run. I definitely feel like I probably could've pushed harder. I'm really curious to see how much we have left in the tank to see next time in that situation I could have ran a little bit harder."

Is it a good feeling to rebound strong after last week? "It is. We got a new race car here. We were strong all day. We had a top-five car all day. So, it's good to finally finish where we belong. I'm proud of this whole FedEx Express team. We were definitely a car that could contend for a top-two or top-three spot all day. It feels good to finally come out of here with a finish we deserve."

What did you think about the race finish? "It's tough as a driver to go out there and not run as hard as what you want to. When these races just seem to come down to fuel mileage a lot. We worked on it a little bit with our race team and I think I worked on it as a driver and got better. But, I was willing to 'five-in' (throttle) there at the end. I felt like I was running a little bit too hard. So, I let the 24 (Jeff Gordon) go and it turns out the front two (Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson) baited each other into running out of gas."

Michigan: 3rd finisher press conference
Racing series -- NASCAR-CUP
Date -- 2009-06-14
LifeLock 400 Post-Race Transcript

An interview with: DENNY HAMLIN - 3rd finisher

KERRY THARP: We'll roll right into our post race press conference at Michigan International Speedway. Our third place finisher in today's race is Denny Hamlin. He drives the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny is now 10th in championship points standings.

Denny, talk about how you ran out there today and how things unfolded there towards the end.

DENNY HAMLIN: Well, we had a good car all day. We fought a little track position for the most part. But we were a top five car all day. We felt like a third to fourth place car for the most part. We knew the last run, I think we were about two laps shy. I worked on some things, some road course testing, what not, to try to save fuel. I felt pretty confident that we could save those two laps.

I felt like as a driver I was really conservative. I'd be interested to see what we have left in the tank because I know I was really rolling down that 5 there about 10 to go. I just thought, man, it's kind of not worth it. If the 48 and the 16 don't run out, what's the point of trying to catch this 5? Little do you know it's for the race win.

But I think it's just the 16 and 48 kind of baited each other into running hard, and that's what happened.

KERRY THARP: Questions for Denny Hamlin.

Q: Denny, is it kind of disappointing to go back to back fuel mileage races as a driver? Is that tough when you get out there and they come on and say you have to start saving?

DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, it is. But, I mean, it does put the driver in it, for sure. I mean, when we're all short, and I'm pretty sure that everyone was short, without having to save gas on the racetrack, it puts it in the drivers' hands in the sense of how hard do you want to push it versus how much do you want to save.

You know, it is still a driver's race, even though it is a fuel mileage race.

Q: Can you talk about this finish as far as your season. It's been not remarkable. This is a big boost for you guys.

DENNY HAMLIN: It is. You know, we definitely had a hard couple of weeks, for sure. But we definitely need to get back on track. We need to start building. If we're not 13th, I don't know with Mark winning, but we got to get back to solid finishes and make sure we solidify our place in the Chase and we don't have to race our way in going into Richmond.

You know, we had to finish pretty well at Richmond last year to make sure we got in the Chase. And that's just a gut wrenching feeling you don't want to have to go through.

We feel like our performance is pretty good. We feel like we're a little bit behind the Hendrick cars. Obviously, I mean, if Kyle is not up front, then our stuff is not the best. And it's definitely not the best right now. We're a little bit behind. But, you know, we feel like in due time we got some things that we're working on to try to be better than those guys. Right now it's just catch up mode.

KERRY THARP: Denny, thank you very much.
-credit: nascar

Season In Review

So..it's been WAY too long since I've posted anything about Denny and I thought it was about time I get to work. So I decided to do a little season in review. What a season it has been so far. Seems to have flown by. I swear just yesterday we were in Daytona and now we're headed to Michigan. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Granted, DNF's and blown tires are no fun, but racing 200 mph mere inches from a concrete wall with your best friends and a few guys you hate with a passion sure beats the hell outta anything else you could think to do.

Denny hasn't been smashing guitars at Nashville or winning his first race as a team owner, but he is holding his own and impressing his number one fan. So here goes... Denny Hamlin's 2009 NASCAR Season in Review...as of Pocono.

• Budweiser Shootout -- Daytona ~ Started 5th Finished 13th
• Gatorade Duel Race 2 -- Daytona ~ Started 13th Finished 5th
• Daytona 500 -- Daytona ~ Started 10th Finished 26th
• Auto Club 500 -- Fontana ~ Started 23rd Finished 6th
• Shelby 427 -- Las Vegas ~ Started 34th Finished 22nd - 1 lap
• Kobalt Tools 500 -- Atlanta ~ Stared 6th Finished 13th
• Food City 500 -- Bristol ~ Stared 24th Finished 2nd
• Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 -- Martinsville ~ Started 8th Finished 2nd
• Samsung 500 -- Texas ~ Started 22nd Finished 12th
• Subway Fresh Fit 500 -- Phoenix ~ Started 12th Finished 6th
• Aaron's 499 -- Talladega ~ Started 18th Finished 22nd
• Russ Friedman 400 -- Richmond ~ Started 3rd Finished 14th
• Southern 500 -- Darlington ~ Started 23rd Finished 13th
• All Star Race -- Lowe's ~ Started 18th Finished 4th
• Coca Cola 600 -- Lowe's ~ Started 18th Finished 11th
• Autism Speaks 400 -- Dover ~ Started 16th Finished 36th Accident
• Pocono 500 -- Pocono ~ Started 7th Finished 38th -22 laps

Fed Ex Racing Express Facts - Martinsville

RACE INFO:
Event: Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500
Date/Time: March 29, 2009/2 p.m.
2008 winner: Denny Hamlin
2008 pole winner: Jeff Gordon
Distance: 500 laps/263miles
Track Length: .526 miles
Banking: 12 degrees
Track Shape: Oval

EXPRESS NOTES:
Hamlin, FedEx Racing Team Storm to Second at Bristol: Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team turned in a great performance last weekend at Bristol, charging forward from a starting position of 24th to battle for the lead and ultimately claim second place on the day.

Hamlin took the lead on lap 317 and held the point for seven laps before surrendering the lead under caution. Despite restarting second for the green-white-checkered finish, he couldn’t reach the bumper of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate and eventual winner, Kyle Busch. The result continued Hamlin’s string of good runs at Bristol as well as giving the #11 team their best result of the still-young 2009 season. Hamlin climbs from 14th to eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings through six races.

Hamlin at Martinsville:
This weekend will mark Hamlin’s eighth career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville Speedway.

Hamlin returns to Martinsville as the defending champion of the spring race at the famous paperclip. In March of 2008 Hamlin led 82 laps and held off a furious charge from Jeff Gordon to claim his sole win of the season and the fourth win of his Cup career. In the fall of 2008, Hamlin and the #11 team fought handling issues but managed an impressive fifth-place finish. In 2007, Hamlin sat on the pole for the spring race and led 125 laps before taking third place and then posted a sixth place finish in the 2007 Chase race. Hamlin has only finished out of the top-10 once at Martinsville – a 41st place finish in the spring event in 2006 – which supports the fact that Hamlin’s short track performance has been a point of consistency in his Sprint Cup career.

That is especially true at Martinsville, a place where Hamlin has raced Late Models as recently as 2003.

Charlotte FedEx Freight Service Center “Along for the Ride” in Martinsville :The #11 FedEx Freight Camry will feature “CLT” on the wing caps this weekend at Martinsville Speedway to recognize the Charlotte Service Center as the winners of the 2008 Diversity Week Grand Prize. The prize rewards participation, creativity and cooperation among employees.

MARTINSVILLE CHASSIS – JGR 238 & 214: JGR 238 will carry the FedEx Freight paint this weekend at Martinsville. This is the first ever race for this chassis. JGR 214 will serve as the backup this weekend. This car has made four previous Cup starts, posting top-ten finishes in 2008 (New Hampshire and Martinsville)

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – MARTINSVILLE:
Talk about returning to Martinsville: “Martinsville is special for me for a lot of reasons. The experience of winning a Cup race here, at a Virginia track where I raced Late Models a few years ago, and in front of great racing fans and my family, was something I will never forget. And to have a Martinsville clock sitting in my home that I see everyday – it reminds me of that day and also how much went into getting to that point. I remember racing here in Late Models, in the big fall events, and thinking then what a big deal it was to be here at a famous track, getting to do what I loved which was race cars. So to go there in a Cup car, win a pole a few years back and then get a win there last Spring was something that was hard to imagine even just a few years. Don’t get me wrong, it was what I always wanted and was working for but you can’t expect things to work out like they did. This is a great track – one of my favorites - with a ton of history and a special style of racing. I think it’s where I am at my best and I know the entire #11 FedEx team circles the Martinsville races on the calendar.”

It’s been one year since you’ve won in the Cup series – does that frustrate or motivate you? – “I think it’s a little of both. We almost had a win last weekend at Bristol so we feel like we are edging closer to where we want to be but to go a year without a win isn’t where we want to be. It would be one thing if we weren’t close but there have been several times in the past year where I know we had the car capable of winning and for whatever reason it just didn’t happen. So, while that gives you confidence in yourself and in the equipment, those missed opportunities start to wear on you and on the entire team. Everyone on this FedEx team puts a lot of time and effort into winning races and nothing is better than when it all works out. I am hoping that this is the weekend where we get our next win and that we can put together a good string of races – challenge for wins throughout the season - and move closer to the goal of challenging for a championship.”

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.

Hamlin, FedEx Racing Frustrated in Las Vegas on way to 22nd-Place Finish

Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team endured a trying afternoon in Las Vegas on Sunday - fighting repairs and handling issues on their way to a 22nd-place finish in the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Despite having a streak of three consecutive top-ten finishes at the 1.5-mile track heading into the race, and a very fast car in practice, damage to the #11 suffered during a lap-three incident and then again during a spin on lap 172 was enough force Hamlin a lap down and keep the team from seriously contending on a caution-filled afternoon.

“We really fought it today,” said Hamlin. “We got caught got up there at the start and just couldn’t get the track position we needed early – then we got into the wall and couldn’t get the handling back. The #11 FedEx Office Toyota was fast and we deserved better today. It’s frustrating to end like this - it would have been nice to race the guys at the front and see what we had.”

By virtue of the finish, and the trouble suffered by other top teams, Hamlin climbs one spot to 14th in the Sprint Cup standings through three races, 127 points behind Jeff Gordon in first.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch produced a great display of driving for his hometown fans, coming from the back of the field, leading 51 laps and winning his first Cup race of the 2008 season.

Clint Bower, Jeff Burton, David Reutimann and Bobby Labonte filled out the top five.Joey Logano, Hamlin and Busch’s rookie teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing had a very solid run Sunday, bringing the #20 Toyota to the checkered in 13th place.

The teams will now return to the East coast and a visit to Atlanta Motor Speedway after a very long start to the season that included two weeks in Daytona followed by long trips to the West coast for races in California and Las Vegas.

Hamlin qualified 34th but took the green flag from the 30th-place on the grid after a handful of teams were forced to the back for changing engines during practice. Unfortunately, he barely had time to get comfortable in the seat before Brad Keselowski spun on lap three, forcing the field to check up and causing damage to the right front of the #11 Camry.

Mike Ford called Hamlin to pit road for some minor repairs and the crew sent him out to restart 40th on lap four.

Another caution flew after only three laps and again Ford called Hamlin to the pit road, this time to check to the damage again and take advantage of the limited laps to change tires.

Hamlin restarted 36th on lap ten and then used the first extended green flag run of the race to get a feel for the car beneath him. As he approached the fuel window, Hamlin informed the crew that he was looking for grip both in and out of the turns. Hamlin pitted on lap 55 for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment before cycling through in 25th place.

The first real opportunity to put pit road strategy to work came on lap 74 when a blown engine sent the #6 car of David Ragan to the garage and brought out the fourth caution of the day. Ford called for a two-tire stop and the crew worked quick to send Hamlin out in ninth-place for the restart.

Running in the top-ten, the team knew they had a car capable of competing and they worked to make sure any changes made in the short term wouldn’t adversely affect handling as the race went along. A caution on lap 94 brought Hamlin to pit road for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment and he would restart 16th on lap 100.

Through cautions on lap 124, 139 and 145 Hamlin kept his position just on the edge of the top-ten and his feedback to the team that he was tight on throttle just as the caution came out on lap 168. Hamlin visited pit road for fuel, tires and another wedge adjustment – this time in the right rear – and lined up 15th for the restart on lap 168.

Just four laps into the green flag run, Hamlin spun off of turn four under heavy pressure from Jamie McMurray and hit the outside wall. On the radio he notified the crew that he had pretty significant right side damage and Ford called him to pit road to check on the car. The crew worked quick to repair the damage and check the toe, bringing Hamlin to pit road a total of three times. They ultimately made the necessary repairs while keeping the #11 on the lead lap – and Hamlin lined up 25th for the restart on lap 176.

It was clear from the restart that the handling had been compromised by the hit and Hamlin worked hard to stay competitive despite the damage. He fell of the lead lap on lap 213 the narrowly missed the free pass when the eleventh caution of the day flew on lap 222.

Ford called Hamlin to pit road for tires, fuel and another check on the car damage before sending Hamlin out to fight for a spot back on the lead lap but Hamlin would ultimately run out the race one lap down to the leaders and end the day in 22nd place.
Joe Gibbs Racing.com

Leaving Las Vegas...

Never have three words sounded so sweet, nor the memory of a race been so great to forget. So Sin City didn't exactly try to hide that it wasn't fond of Denny Hamlin. Luck was certainly not on the Chesterfield, VA native's side. My only solace is that hopefully he won big in the casinos while hanging out with his buddies.

Just two laps into the Sam's Town 300, Hamlin found himself spinning out with none other than Brad Keselowski. Irony at its finest. He was able to recover from that debacle, only to be served with a pit road speeding penalty. As if that wasn't bad enough, the No. 20 car sped while serving its pass through penalty for that violation. The result, yet another pass through penalty. Misery indeed loves company.

The frustration mounted and wouldn't you know, the Interstate Batteries machine had a tire going down. Holding his own, Hamlin was handling the situation under the wise council of crew chief Dave Rogers, when the unthinkable happened. Mike Bliss, who's spotter was taking a break in the local casino and being derelict of his important duties, was unable to see the bright green car right in front of him and plowed Hamlin from behind, lifting his wheels off the ground and putting both cars into the wall.

When the dust settled, the flames that engulfed the Toyota holding Denny Hamlin were nothing short of terrifying. Mike Bliss failed to have an explanation for his stupidity and a despondent Hamlin tried to laugh it off, but the disappointment and frustration were evident. And from the appearance of the veteran driver, he was still a bit shaken from the incident. Well, he wasn't alone. That was quite scary and a fate I don't want to see repeated any time soon.

Hamlin rolled his Fed Ex Office Toyota off the grid in 34th starting position for the Shelby 427. When what do you know, new bestie Brad Keselowski found the No. 11 machine once again and caused yet another tangle between the two. I guess there is a drawing magnetism between the GoDaddy.com driver and his Fed Ex nemesis, because the two cars just simply couldn't avoid each other the entire weekend at Vegas.

The rest of the day was just more of the same and while Hamlin did his best to rebound, it just wasn't to be. He finished 22nd, a lap down, but was able to gain one spot in the points standings. His teammate, Kyle Busch, was victorious in his hometown for the first time and was overjoyed, kissing the start/finish line after doing his now signature bow and taking the checkered flag.

With snow back in NC stranding the drivers and their families in Vegas for a while, no doubt there was some celebrating going on amongst the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. Happy for his friend, Hamlin no doubt lifted his glass to honor a hard fought victory for the No. 18 team. But in his mind, Denny Hamlin was celebrating the end to his Las Vegas weekend and thanking his lucky stars he won't have to return to the scene of that fiasco for another twelve months.

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?

NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings ~ As of Auto Club 500

The Unofficial Point Standings after the Auto Club 500
~Race 2 of 36 ~ Will be updated as soon as official points are posted

1. (--) Matt Kenseth 385 Leader
2. (+10) Jeff Gordon 304 -81
3. (-8) Kurt Busch 294 -91
4. (+3) Tony Stewart 294 -91
5. (+15) Greg Biffle 268 -117
6. (-2) Clint Bowyer 266 -119
7. (+1) Michael Waltrip 264 -121
8. (-2) David Ragan 262 -123
9. (+9) Carl Edwards 260 -125
10. (+4) Juan Montoya 256 -129
11. (-6) Elliott Sadler 248 -137
12. (+1) David Reutimann 248 -137

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13. (-10) AJ Allmendinger 241 -144
14. (-6) Reed Sorenson 235 -150
15. (+12) Denny Hamlin 235 -150
16. (-14) Kevin Harvick 219 -166
17. (-7) Martin Truex Jr 217 -168
18. (+20) Kyle Busch 215 -170
19. (+12) Jimmie Johnson 213 -172
20. (-4) Casey Mears 209 -176
21. (-4) Marcos Ambrose 212 -173
22. (-1) Bobby Labonte 205 -180
23. (+6) Kasey Kahne 203 -182
24. (+9) David Stremme 193 -192
25. (-6) John Andretti 181 -204
26. (+14) Brian Vickers 180 -205
27. (-12) Mark Martin 168 -217
28. (+9) Jamie McMurray 167 -218
29. (+3) Sam Hornish Jr 161 -224
30. (+12) Travis Kvapil 146 -239
31. (-3) Jeff Burton 146 -239
32. (-7) Scott Riggs 143 -242
33. (+3) Ryan Newman 134 -251
34. (--) Robby Gordon 134 -251
35. (-9) Dale Earnhardt Jr 133 -252
36. (-6) Aric Almirola 131 -254
37. (+6) Joey Logano 119 -266
38. (+3) Jeremy Mayfield 104 -281
39. (--) Paul Menard 101 -284
40. (-18) Regan Smith 100 -285
41. (-6) Scott Speed 98 -287
42. (-19) Bill Elliott 94 -291
43. (-19) Terry Labonte 91 -294
44. (--) David Gilliland 64 -321
45. (--) Dave Blaney 37 -348
46. (-2) Joe Nemechek 34 -351

Rain Rain Go Away

I'm not sure if Mother Nature's tantrum in Martinsville, Virginia this weekend is a blessing or a curse. I hate to see the field set according to Sprint Cup points. The rule book shouldn't get to decide who makes the field and who goes home. Every team has the same right to try their hand at making the field and I don't like to see weather dictate who is worthy of a starting position for a race.

Then there's the matter of Martinsville being home turf for Denny Hamlin. I was so looking forward to seeing how stout his race car was going to be. I guess I'll have to wait until Sunday to get my first glance at the Fed Ex Toyota. Times likes these are when I'm disappointed. My devotion never waivers based on performances. Start from the pole or be the caboose, I still think Denny Hamlin can win every week. Crash out and visit the local hospital, I'm still proud of my D Ham. Rob him of the chance to prove his talents, I feel cheated.

So I excitedly await the start of Sunday's race, equipped with my Tums and my tissues. I can't help but tear up when I see Denny take the green flag at his home track in front of Virginia natives who agree with me that he is one of the state's finest racers and classiest gentlemen. When Mama and Daddy Hamlin brought D Ham into this world they blessed it with the most amazing man to ever take a breath. So come Sunday afternoon, I will be holding mine to see if my dreams for my friend and hero will come true.

If I could have it my way, I'd get to see Denny Hamlin wave a Dasani bottle with tears in his eyes, struggling for words to describe how he feels. Perhaps Mother Nature did me a favor by raining on my parade so that Denny could start closer to the front. That is yet to be seen. But you can guarantee I will be watching intently to see the outcome. Regardless, I will be overwhelmed at getting to watch NASCAR's finest turn 500 laps.

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Denny Hamlin was 7th in Happy Hour Practice at Martinsville. His best speed was 94.148 mph with his fastest time at 20.110 seconds per lap. His average speed was 93.053 mph. He had the fast time 7 times with 74 laps run in practice. I've got hope and know that the Fed Ex Freight Toyota will be contending for the win when the green flag waves Sunday afternoon.