Tuesday, May 19, 2015

All-Star win gives Hamlin and team momentum into Coca-Cola 600

Denny Hamlin is 20/1 to win Sunday night at Charlotte
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:

Race: Coca-Cola 600
Date/Time: May 24/6 p.m. ET
Distance: 400 laps/600 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad-Oval
Banking: 24 degrees
2014 Winner: Jimmie Johnson

Express Notes:
All-Star Triumph: Denny Hamlin was victorious in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, catapulting from sixth to first during a mandatory round of pit stops before the final 10-lap segment, and holding off reigning Cup champion Kevin Harvick en route to Victory Lane. Hamlin started on the pole and led three times for 26 laps in the five-segment, 110-lap exhibition race. The first four segments — each 25 laps — determined the running order prior to the mandatory stops before Segment 5 based on average finishing position. Hamlin was sixth on average, but utilizing the first pit stall to his advantage, as well as a lightning fast stop by the FedEx pit crew, put the #11 FedEx Express Toyota at the point for the restart. Hamlin jumped to a lead at the green, and kept Harvick at bay to score his first-career All-Star Race win, the first for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.

Coca-Cola 600 Preview: The Series stays at Charlotte for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, the longest event on the NASCAR schedule. Hamlin is making his 10th Coke 600 start on Sunday, looking to score his first points-paying victory at the 1.5-mile track. He finished a career-best second in the 2012 running behind Kasey Kahne. In 19 starts at Charlotte (spring and fall events), Hamlin has recorded 11 top-10 finishes and has led 187 laps.

Autism Awareness: The FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks is May 31 at Dover International Speedway, and last week, Hamlin his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth launched a text-to-pledge campaign to help raise awareness for Autism Speaks. From now through the FedEx 400 on May 31, fans are encouraged to make a donation by texting RACING to 30644 to get started. Visitwww.AutismSpeaks.org/Racing for more information.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Races: 19
Wins: 0
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 11
Average Start: 12.6
Average Finish: 13.5
Laps Led: 187

Hamlin Conversation — CHARLOTTE:

How can you maintain the momentum from Saturday night’s All-Star Race victory?

“Saturday night was big for our FedEx team. We have struggled with some speed this year and had things happen out of our control that have taken us out of good finishes, so Saturday night was a great reminder what this team is capable of if we put an entire race together. The pit crew was flawless, Dave (Rogers, crew chief) made great calls to get the car better, and we learned a lot of things that will hopefully help us this Sunday in the Coke 600. It’s a big race for our sport, and a grueling event for the drivers. I have come close to winning it in the past, and I would like another chance this weekend.”

Poway, Calif., Along for the Ride in Charlotte: The FedEx Office location in Poway, Calif., a leading store in the company’s President’s Club program, will be recognized with its “2702” code numbers on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

FedEx Office – Closest to Charlotte Motor Speedway: 7741 Gateway Lane NW, Ste 110, Concord, NC 28027, (704) 979-1971

          2015 FEDEX RACING TEAM – SEASON RESULTS
DATEEVENTLOCATIONSTARTFINISHLAPSSTATUSWINNINGSLEDPTSTREND
Feb. 22Daytona 500Daytona424203/203Running$680,48344th
March 1Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500Atlanta438284/325Running$111,1051419th
March 8Kobalt 400Las Vegas195267/267Running$162,3808th
March 15Camping World 500Phoenix2523312/312Running$92,85513th
March 22Auto Club 400Fontana628209/209Running$106.4855614th
March 29STP 500Martinsville151500/500Running$172,260917th
April 11Duck Commander 500Texas1811334/334Running$146,5258th
April 19Food City 500Bristol*526505/511Running$109,20011th
April 26Toyota Owners 400Richmond222398/400Running$95,35012th
May 3GEICO 500Talladega179188/188Running$127,645510th
May 9SpongBob SquarePants 400Kansas1341205/267Running$79,33015th
Averages/Totals15.118.996.8% $1,883,618170  
* Drivers: Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones





- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing

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