Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Ground Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Axalta 400
Date/Time: June 5/1:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 160 laps/400 miles
Track Length: 2.5 miles
Track Shape: Triangle
2015 Winner: Martin Truex 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.
Coca-Cola 600 Recap: Denny Hamlin finished fourth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota, running among the top-10 throughout the 400-mile event won by Martin Truex Jr. The race was slowed by just four cautions for 19 laps, and Truex dominated the field, leading 392 circuits around the 1.5-mile oval. Hamlin lined up fifth for the race’s final restart on Lap 345, climbing one spot before the checkered flag behind Truex, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin started fourth and ran in the top-10 the entire race. A series of green-flag pit stops during the middle portion shuffled the running order a bit, and Hamlin was always able to maintain track position. The FedEx Racing Team crew was flawless on pit road, maintaining or gaining spots on each stop. Hamlin climbed two spots to 11th in the NASCAR standings following Charlotte, 112 points behind leader Kevin Harvick after 13 of 26 regular season races.
Pocono Preview: The Series heads to Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle.” Hamlin is a four-time winner at Pocono, sweeping both races at the track as a rookie in 2006 and then back-to-back races in 2009 and 2010. He has led a total of 669 laps around the track and finished 10th in the event one year ago.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Pocono Raceway
Races: 20
Wins: 4
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 13
Average Start: 6.8
Average Finish: 12.3
Laps Led: 669
Hamlin Conversation — POCONO:
How can you build off the momentum at Charlotte into Pocono?
“The biggest thing for us was having a clean, solid day at Charlotte. It was relatively uneventful, and that’s a good thing. We had good speed throughout the weekend and had a mistake-free race. We need to keep putting those solid weeks together. Pocono is obviously a place that we have had success at over the years, but it’s been a little bit since we’ve run up front and competed for race wins there. Our cars have had speed all year, so I’m confident that we can go to Pocono and give it a shot.”
Delaware Valley Along for the Ride at Pocono: The FedEx Ground Delaware Valley district will be recognized for its outstanding trailer load efficiency with its “DELV” code letters on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota this weekend at Pocono Raceway.
#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
