· Denny Hamlin (fourth) was the first Camry driver to the finish line in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Pocono Raceway.
· Hamlin started from the pole position and led four laps (of 160) in the race that was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
· Camry drivers Clint Bowyer (11th) and Kyle Busch (12th) also registered top-15 finishes at Pocono.
· Camry drivers Kenseth (second), Busch (sixth) and Hamlin (eighth) are all in the top-10 in the point standings following Pocono.
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
Was dealing with lapped traffic a challenge during the race?
“Yeah, it was a challenge for everyone. It’s just these cars poke such a big hole in the air you can’t get around whoever is in front of you — you have to be substantially faster. Those are the cards you are dealt and you have to deal with it. We had great strategy, great pit stops. Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and the guys really put a great FedEx Ground Toyota underneath me this evening. It’s a good run for us — two top-fives in a row for us this year all year and that’s not bad.”
How was your race?
“Really, uneventful day. You just kind of end up wherever you end up on the race track and you try to do your best to hold back the guys behind you and try to make up a little ground in front of you. It was tough out there. We had great strategy and I’m proud of the Camry our FedEx Ground crew put under me this week.”
Were you following any of the late race fuel and tire issues other drivers were experiencing?
“I could see a little bit that was going on, but for us we were just trying to hang on the best we could to try to hold back everybody that was — it was tough. Overall good day for us. This is the kind of building days that we need.”
Was this racing like the racing from before the repave?
“It is, I think in today’s world strategy plays more into it than wheeling the car and getting all you can. The driver was at mercy with the air that he’s dealt and the car that’s under him. Those are the cards we had today.”
CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 RK Motors Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 11th
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Peanut Butter Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 12th
BRIAN VICKERS, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 19th
How was your day?
“Not that great. We were okay by ourselves, just had no speed in traffic. Just kept floating the nose and couldn’t get around guys.”
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 25th
COLE WHITT, No. 26 Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 30th
ALEX BOWMAN, No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 31st
RYAN TRUEX, No. 83 Burger King Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 32nd
TIMMY HILL, No. 66 Kansas Farm Bureau Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports
Finishing Position: 36th
