Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race
Date/Time: Saturday, May 19/6 p.m. ET
Format: 80 laps; 4 Stages (30/20/20/10 laps)
Track Length: 1.5 mile
Track Shape: Quad-oval
Banking: 24 degrees
2017 Winner: Kyle Busch
Express Notes:
Press Kit: Download the 2018 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Mike Wheeler and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.
Kansas Recap: Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx team battled their way to a fifth-place finish in Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Fighting an ill-handling FedEx Toyota throughout most of the race, Hamlin and the team never gave up and used a flurry of late-race cautions to gain track position to notch their fifth top-five of the season. Hamlin started the 400-mile event sixth and soon reported that the #11 was too tight in the beginning and became too loose as the tires wore. Despite fast pit stops by the FedEx crew, Hamlin could not get the car up to speed on restarts and with a lack of cautions, Hamlin became mired in the field, running outside the top-10 for much of the race. The FedEx team’s big break came when the yellow flag flew with just 20 laps to go. The caution forced a variety of strategies that saw some of the leaders pit. Hamlin took advantage of the situation and stayed out, catapulting the FedEx car from ninth in the running order to fourth. Following a wreck with nine laps remaining, Hamlin lined up fourth for the final restart and fought hard to maintain the spot, but Kyle Larson had fresher tires and took advantage of the enhanced grip to pass Hamlin with two laps remaining.
All-Star Race Preview: Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx team return home to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race where drivers will be vying for a $1 million first-place prize. This year’s 80-lap exhibition race will again include four Stages (30/20/20/10 laps) with only green-flag laps counting during the final 10-lap segment. A new rules package including restrictor plates and 6-inch high spoilers has been introduced for the 2018 event, which will promote passing and tight competition.
Hamlin looks to revisit All-Star victory lane since his last trip there in 2015. In 11 All-Star starts, he has collected eight top-10 finishes, including a 10th-place finish in last year’s event following a late-race wreck that forced him to retire with only two laps remaining.
Hamlin All-Star Race Statistics:
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Races: 11
Wins: 1 (2015)
Poles: 1 (2015)
Top-5: 3
Top-10: 8
Laps Led: 56
Avg. Start: 11.6
Avg. Finish: 10
Hamlin Conversation:
Without any points on the line, are you approaching the All-Star Race differently than you would a regular season event?
“Obviously the first-place prize makes things a little more exciting, and you can expect every driver to lay it all on line to win it. It will be interesting to see how the new rules package will affect competition, but one thing’s for sure — we’ll still need to be up front for that last 10-lap segment where track position is everything.”
FedEx Express USCA station in West Columbia, SC, Along for the Ride at Charlotte: FedEx Freight recognizes the company’s USCA station in West Columbia, SC, for their outstanding customer service and involvement in the local community by featuring the call letters “USCA” on the #11 FedEx Express Toyota at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
