Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: GEICO 500
Date/Time: May 1/12:00 p.m. CT
Distance: 88 laps/500 miles
Track Length: 2.66 miles
Track Shape: Oval
Banking: 33 degrees
2015 Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Express Notes:
Press Kit: Download the 2016 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Mike Wheeler and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights, statistics and the 2016 crew roster.
Richmond Recap: Denny Hamlin finished sixth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway, overcoming an early pit road violation and persistent battery issues to log his fourth top-10 finish of the 2016 season in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota. The Chesterfield, Va., native lined up seventh for the final restart and held off teammate Matt Kenseth over the final 30 laps in the event won by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards.
Hamlin started fifth and ran among the top-three throughout the long green flag run to begin the race. It was a breakaway at the front of the pack with Edwards, Kyle Busch and Hamlin holding a big advantage over the rest of the field. Following a round of green flag pit stops, the race’s first caution came on Lap 150. Hamlin pitted for another set of fresh tires, but unfortunately, the right-rear got away from the team during the stop, and Hamlin had to start at the tail end of the field for the “uncontrolled tire” violation. He spent the middle portion of the race working through traffic, and rejoined the top 10 with 150 laps to go. Following a series of late-race cautions and quick work by the FedEx crew on pit road, Hamlin battled in the top 10 for the remainder of the event. The finish moved Hamlin up one spot to eighth in the NASCAR standings following Richmond.
Talladega Preview: The Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s 500-mile event on the high-banked 2.66-mile Alabama oval. Hamlin won the first restrictor-plate race of the season in the Daytona 500, as well as the exhibition Sprint Unlimited earlier this year. He won the spring Talladega event in 2014 and finished ninth in the race one year ago. He has 227 career laps led at Talladega.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Races: 20
Wins: 1
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 7
Average Start: 19.2
Average Finish: 19.4
Laps Led: 227
Hamlin Conversation — TALLADEGA:
Is the restrictor plate program the strongest for the FedEx team?
“We have certainly shown over the last few years to have a lot of speed at the (restrictor) plate tracks. A lot of it is putting yourself in good positions during the race, and working the draft patiently to move forward. Obviously, winning the Unlimited and the (Daytona) 500 earlier this year gives our FedEx team a lot of confidence heading into this weekend at Talladega.”
#11 FedEx Racing – 2016 Crew Roster
Crew Chief – Mike “Wheels” Wheeler
Car Chief – Leo Thorsen
Engineers – Matt Beckman, Sam McAuley
Shock Specialist – Drew Bible
Tire Specialist – Kerry Ferris
Mechanics – Troy Welty, John Furino, Sean Kerlin
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 – Frank Hodel, David Ott
