FedEx Racing Express Facts – Charlotte Motor Speedway
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. Visit www.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
Press Kit: Download the 2015 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Dave Rogers and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights, statistics and the 2015 crew roster.
