Hamlin has 8.9 average Richmond finish 'in front of friends and family'

Denny Hamlin is 7/1 to win at Richmond Saturday night

Event: Toyota Owners 400
Date/Time: April 26/7 p.m. ET
2013 winner: Kevin Harvick
2013 polesitter: Matt Kenseth
Distance: 400 laps/300 miles
Track Length: 0.750-mile
Banking: 14 degrees
Track Shape: Oval

EXPRESS NOTES:

Fans First for FedEx 400: Race fans have the opportunity to “ride along” with Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Freight/Autism Speaks Toyota for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover on June 1. For a minimum $11 donation to Autism Speaks, fans can get their names on the special #11 paint scheme at the ‘Monster Mile,’ while helping a great cause. Space is limited, so for more information, visit www.fedexracing.com/fedex400.

Return to Roots: Hamlin will host the seventh-annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown late model charity race on Thursday night at South Boston (Va.) Speedway, a track Hamlin grew up racing on while rising through the ranks. The 200-lap feature race will begin at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET, and Hamlin will be joined in the field by current Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, as well as a variety of local short track racers from around Virginia. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. For more information, visit www.southbostonspeedway.com.

Richmond Preview: Hamlin returns to his hometown track for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota. Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, Va., is a two-time winner at the three-quarter-mile oval, and holds the highest driver rating (114.8) among active drivers at the track. In 15 previous starts at Richmond, Hamlin has posted seven top-five finishes and recorded two pole positions. His victories came in the fall Richmond races in 2009 and 2010. He has led 1,390 career laps at RIR and has an average running position of 6.6, best among Sprint Cup Series competitors. He missed the spring 2013 event at RIR due to injury.

Darlington Recap: Hamlin finished 19th in the most recent Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on April 12, unable to overcome a late-race pit road speeding penalty in the #11 Sport Clips Toyota. Hamlin started 10th and led once for three laps at the 1.33-mile track. The finish dropped Hamlin to 15th in the NASCAR point standings following Darlington, 74 points behind leader Jeff Gordon.

FedEx Office – Closest to Richmond International Raceway: 1111 E. Main St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 783-9880

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – RICHMOND:

How important is a strong run at Richmond this weekend?
“Obviously, any time we race in Richmond, I want to run well in front of friends and family. It’s been a good track for our FedEx team and I had to miss the race there last spring. We haven’t finished where we have run for the most part in the last few races this year, but Richmond is a great place to get back on track.”

How many fans do you expect to ‘ride’ with you in the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks?
“I hope the car is full of names because that means more donations to Autism Speaks, a great organization. Autism affects millions of families, and this program will hopefully play a small part in raising awareness and resources for research.”

- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing