FedEx Racing Express Facts – Sonoma Raceway
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
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.
#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: Nate Bolling
Gas Man: Caleb Hurd
Pit Crew Coordinator: Paul Alepa
Athletic Director: Mike Lepp
Transportation – Kyle Bazzell, Bob Hannigan
