Denny Hamlin
11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Sunday Race Info:
Race: FireKeepers Casino 400
Date/Time: Sunday, August 22/3:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 200 laps/400 miles
Track Length: 2 miles
Track Shape: Oval
Express Notes:
Indianapolis Recap: Denny Hamlin looked to be headed for his first win of the 2021 season Sunday, leading on an overtime restart on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. But the FedEx Racing team’s day was ruined when series rookie Chase Briscoe bumped the #11 Toyota from behind and sent him spinning off the course. The move by Briscoe stunned Hamlin and others, as Briscoe had seconds earlier short-cut one of the course turns and would consequently need to serve a penalty. The move that sent the #11 into the grass would cost Hamlin the potential win and relegate him to a 23rd-place finish. Briscoe later claimed he was unaware of the penalty. The race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn circuit was the first for the NASCAR Cup Series, which traditionally has run the oval at the historic Indianapolis venue. The 231-mile event featured plenty of action, including two multi-car incidents that triggered red flags late in the race, one forcing overtime. After the incident involving Hamlin and Briscoe, A.J. Allmendinger surged ahead to claim the victory. Despite the disappointing ending for the FedEx Racing team, the race result was enough to clinch a berth in the Cup Series Playoffs.
Michigan Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Midwest and Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, returning to oval racing after two consecutive weeks on road courses. Hamlin and team will look to use their momentum after clinching a playoff spot in Indianapolis and their history at the Michigan track, which includes two wins. With only two races left in the regular season, the #FedEx11 team is eyeing a boost in points to win the regular season championship before kicking off the playoffs.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Michigan International Speedway
Races: 30
Wins: 2
Poles: 1
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 15
Laps Led: 214
Avg. Start: 11.8
Avg. Finish 13.2
Hamlin Conversation – Michigan:
Now that you’ve secured your spot in the 2021 playoffs, does your mindset change at all?
“We were never worried about it. We knew our weekly performance would get us in whether we won or not. Now we just need to try to get ourselves in the best position and the most points we can get before the playoffs start.”
Are you grateful to be going back to an oval and a familiar track where the series has a history?
“There’s definitely something to be said for familiarity when it comes to racetracks. Last week was pretty messy with it being the first time that course was set up for Cup cars. We’ve made some progress on our intermediate program this season, so I’m looking forward to going to the Michigan oval this week.”
FedEx Express Along For The Ride at Michigan: The #11 car will carry the letters GRR on the B-posts in recognition of the FedEx Express U.S. Operations and AGFS teams in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Grand Rapids market has played an active role in the U.S. and worldwide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. None of this could have been accomplished without the work and support of the 648 dedicated personnel who make up the FedEx Express Grand Rapids team.
FedEx Office – Closest to Michigan International Speedway: 2800 S State St A, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, (734)-665-2400
