NSCS: FedEx Racing Express Facts – New Hampshire Motor Speedway

FedEx Racing Express Facts – New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Sylvania 300
Date/Time: Sept. 27/2 p.m. ET
Distance: 300 laps/317.4 miles
Track Length: 1 mile
Track Shape: Oval
Banking: 7 degrees
2014 Winner: Joey Logano

Express Notes:

Chicagoland Recap: Denny Hamlin was victorious in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway, making the decisive pass on a restart with five laps to go to take the checkered flag in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota. Hamlin lined up third behind leader Jeff Gordon and second place Kurt Busch after the race’s final caution on the 1.5-mile oval, and dove to the inside in Turn 1 to make it three-wide, clearing both cars by the exit of Turn 2. From there, the 34-year-old, competing in his ninth Chase playoffs, hit his marks, winning the 267-lap race to guarantee himself a spot in the Contender Round in the elimination-style format. It was an eventful day for Hamlin and the FedEx Racing Team. Charging out of the gate from a 29th-place starting spot, Hamlin made contact with AJ Allmendinger on just the second lap, spinning to a stop in Turn 4 but avoiding major damage. He lost a lap while nursing the #11 machine back to pit road, and restarted last in the 43-car field after minor repairs. On the ensuing restart, the race saw a long stretch of green flag racing, with Hamlin mired deep in the pack and needing cautions to help his cause. The second yellow did not come until Lap 124, and Hamlin was nearly two laps down after a second round of green flag pit stops. The caution periods finally came, and after Crew Chief Dave Rogers elected to use the wave around to get back on the lead lap, caught another quick yellow to put fresh tires on the FedEx Camry and regained all of the lost track position. Hamlin methodically worked through the pack from there, moving into the top-five as the laps clicked. It looked as though he would finish fourth before the final caution with 10 laps to go. There, he stayed on the track while the majority of lead lap cars came to pit road, setting up the dramatic late-race pass for the win. The victory moved Hamlin up to second in the Chase standings after one of three races in the Challenger Round, two points behind teammate Matt Kenseth. The final two events of the segment, at New Hampshire and Dover, will determine what drivers — in addition to Hamlin — will advance when the field is trimmed from 16 to 12.

New Hampshire Preview: The FedEx Racing Team heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 300-lap race on the flat, one-mile oval. Hamlin is a two-time New Hampshire winner, taking the checkered flag in the summer event in 2007 and the Chase event in September 2012. In total, Hamlin has 11 top-10 finishes in 19 races on the ‘Magic Mile,’ leading 469 laps and sporting an average finish of 10.7. He will pilot the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota in Sunday’s race.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Races: 19

Wins: 2

Top-5: 7

Top-10: 11

Average Start: 11.7

Average Finish: 10.7

Laps Led: 469

Hamlin Conversation — NEW HAMPSHIRE:

How much momentum does Sunday’s win at Chicago give this FedEx Team for the rest of the Chase?

“It obviously takes the pressure off of our team for the next two events, but we still have goals to accomplish this year and the win just makes us hungrier to get more. We have shown a lot of speed over the last few months and our FedEx team is starting to get the finishes to back up that speed. The whole Joe Gibbs Racing organization has been fast and we drivers are all pushing each other to be better, and you’re seeing those results on the race track. It will be great to go to New Hampshire this weekend with one goal in mind – to win the race. I think we can do that.”

Cinnaminson, N.J. Along for the Ride in New Hampshire: The #11 FedEx Freight Toyota will feature the call letters “CIN” this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, recognizing the FedEx Freight service center in Cinnaminson, N.J. In operation since 1999, more than 200 FedEx Freight team members safely deliver freight to southern New Jersey and Philadelphia.

#11 FedEx Racing – 2015 Crew Roster

Crew Chief – Dave Rogers

Car Chief – Joe Fiorelli

Engineers – Chris Gabehart, Kenny Oates

Shock Specialist – Ron Denton

Tire Specialist – Jamie Turski

Mechanics – Joey Forgette, Jerad Hewitt, Jason Clements

Spotter – Chris Lambert

Front Tire Changer – Dustin Necaise

Front Tire Carrier – Brandon Pegram

Rear Tire Changer – Mike Hicks

Rear Tire Carrier – Heath Cherry