Event: Quicken Loans 500
Date/Time: Nov. 9/1:00 p.m. MT
2013 winner: Kevin Harvick
2013 polesitter: Jimmie Johnson
Distance: 312 laps/312 miles
Track Length: 1 mile
Banking: 9/11 degrees
Track Shape: OvalEXPRESS NOTES:
Texas Recap: Denny Hamlin finished 10th in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, climbing into a tie for first place in the Chase point standings with one race remaining in the Eliminator Round following the 341-lap event won by Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin started 20th and quickly moved forward at the drop of the green flag, but as the track temperature cooled, the handling went away on the #11 FedEx Office Toyota. A two-tire stop moved Hamlin to the lead for three laps mid-race, but the old tires didn’t work and the #11 machine fell back to 14th in the running order. Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb utilized a variety of strategies late in the race to secure a top-10 finish for the FedEx Racing Team. Hamlin is tied with Joey Logano for the points lead.
Phoenix Preview: The Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway for Sunday’s 312-lap event at the flat, one-mile oval. Hamlin is making his 19th career Cup Series start at the desert track, owning one victory and nine top-10 finishes in 17 previous events at PIR. Hamlin’s victory came in March 2012, in just his second race with crew chief Darian Grubb. In that race, he led 61 laps en route to the checkered flag. Hamlin also owns a pole position at Phoenix, coming in his very first Cup start at the track in November 2005.
SmartPost Team Along for the Ride at Phoenix: A FedEx SmartPost team will be recognized with the letters “FXSP” on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The team’s award-winning quality improvement enhanced package handling efficiency in their low-volume delivery operations.
FedEx Thanks Veterans at Phoenix: Hamlin will be running a special decal on the B-post of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota to salute all of those who have served our country, in honor of Tuesday’s Veterans Day holiday.
HAMLIN CONVERSATION – PHOENIX:
What are your thoughts heading into the final race of the Eliminator Round this weekend?
“We find ourselves in a pretty decent position heading into this weekend with our FedEx Team. Obviously, we were a little disappointed with how our car performed last weekend at Texas, but we were able to get a top-10 finish out of it and give ourselves a shot at advancing to the final round of the Chase in Miami. We still need to take care of business at Phoenix, make sure we have a good handling car and good pit stops throughout the race.”
