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| Denny Hamlin is 12/1 to win 2015 Sprint Unlimited |
Date/Time: Feb. 14/8:15 p.m. ET
Distance: 75 laps/187.5 miles
Track Length: 2.5 miles
Track Shape: Tri-oval
Banking: 31 degrees
2014 Winner: Denny Hamlin
Express Notes:
Denny and Dave: Hamlin begins the 2015 NASCAR season with his third-career Cup Series crew chief. Dave Rogers climbs atop the #11 FedEx pit box following five years with fellow JGR driver Kyle Busch and replaces Darian Grubb, who served as Hamlin’s signal-caller for the previous three seasons. Hamlin and Rogers enjoyed considerable success together in the Xfinity Series while each came through the ranks, winning seven races together in 62 total events from 2006-2009. Rogers was also the crew chief of the #11 FedEx team when the program started in 2005.
Defending Daytona: The FedEx Racing Team put together one of the most impressive SpeedWeeks performances in 2014, starting with a victory in the Sprint Unlimited. Hamlin was victorious for the second time in the non-points exhibition event that kicks off the NASCAR calendar, leading 27 of 75 laps from the pole en route to victory lane. He also captured the checkered flag in the event as a rookie in 2006. This year’s field will be made up of 25 drivers and the race will be broken into two segments, including a 25-lap opening stint and 50-lap dash to the finish line.
New Ride: Hamlin embarks on his 10th full Sprint Cup Series season in 2015, and will begin the year with a new-look #11 FedEx paint scheme. Coinciding with the all-new Toyota Camry design in the Sprint Cup Series, the #11 will feature a more-pronounced purple look on the race track. Hamlin will pilot the #11 FedEx Express Toyota throughout SpeedWeeks in Daytona.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Daytona International Speedway (Sprint Unlimited only)
Races: 9
Wins: 2 (2006, 2014)
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 5
Average Start: 11.4
Average Finish: 8.6
Laps Led: 47
Hamlin Conversation:
How can you use the Sprint Unlimited to prepare for the Daytona 500?
“The biggest thing for our team will be to get used to having Dave (Rogers) on the pit box calling the shots. It’s a short race and there’s not much you can change on the car, but it will take some getting used to having a different voice on the radio. Obviously, our team had a lot of success in Daytona last year and on restrictor-plate tracks as a whole, so hopefully we can continue that this year. JGR always builds great speedway cars, and it’s up to us to work together, remain patient and try to stay clean to have a chance at the end. It would be great to kick off another season in Victory Lane at Daytona.”
FedEx Office – Closest to Daytona International Speedway: 2274 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 323-7840
#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
Jack Man: Tracy Duncan
Gas Man: Caleb Hurd
Pit Crew Coordinator: Paul Alepa
Athletic Director: Mike Lepp
Transportation – Bob Hannigan, Kyle Bazzell
- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing
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