Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Denny Hamlin looking to improve upon recent results at Sonoma

Denny Hamlin is 60/1 to win at Sonoma on Sunday.
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:


Race: Toyota/Save Mart 350
Date/Time: June 28/12 p.m. PT
Distance: 110 laps/218.9 miles
Track Length: 1.99 miles
Track Shape: Road Course
Turns: 12
2014 Winner: Carl Edwards

Express Notes:

Michigan Recap
: Denny Hamlin finished 11th in the rain-shortened NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on June 14, benefiting from a caution midway through a cycle of green flag pit stops to regain track position prior to a big rain shower that ended the event at the two-mile track won by Kurt Busch. Hamlin lost position early in the race after a four-tire stop moved him back to 24th from a 13th-place starting position in the #11 FedEx Express Toyota. The race — scheduled for 200 laps — was red-flagged three different times for rain, and was called after just 138 laps. Hamlin battled a loose condition from the drop of the green flag, and the condition worsened in Turn 3 on restarts on a green race track. The handle started to come to him after the second rain delay, with Hamlin turning laps equal to the leaders as the race reached the scheduled midway point. Busch won his second race of the year, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. The finish by Hamlin kept him 13th in the NASCAR standings after 15 of 26 regular season races, 164 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.

Sonoma Preview: The Series heads to Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway for the first of two road course events this season on the 1.99-mile, 12-turn layout. Hamlin is making his 10th start at Sonoma this weekend, with a career-best fifth-place result at the track in 2009, in which he led 33 laps. One year ago, Hamlin started 16th and finished 26th in the race won by Carl Edwards. Sunday’s event will cover 110 laps and 218.9 miles.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Sonoma Raceway

Races: 9
Wins: 0
Top-5: 1
Top-10: 2
Average Start: 19.8
Average Finish: 23.2
Laps Led: 48

Hamlin Conversation — SONOMA:

How will you approach Sonoma this weekend?

“Sonoma is definitely a more technical road course than Watkins Glen. It’s tight with a lot of elevation changes. We haven’t run particularly well there over the last few years, but late-race incidents have taken us out of better finishes in a lot of those races. It’s important to put in a good qualifying effort to be up front and try to maintain track position during the race, and hopefully the strategy plays out right for our FedEx team and we’re around at the end.”

Chico, Calif., Along for the Ride in Sonoma: The FedEx Freight service center in Chico, Calif., will be recognized with its “CHI” code letters on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

FedEx Office – Closest to Sonoma Raceway: 901 East Washington St., Petaluma, CA 94952, (707) 763-6553

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
May 24Coca-Cola 600Charlotte58400/400Running$143,7205315th
May 31FedEx 400Dover121402/405Running$129,61011814th
June 7Axalta 400Pocono810160/160Running$101,61513th
June 14Quicken Loans 400Michigan1311138/138Running$106,01513th
Averages/Totals12.917.297.5% $2,364,578341  
* Drivers: Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones

- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing

No comments: