Denny Hamlin
11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Sunday Race Info:
Race: South Point 400
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 26/7:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 267 laps/400.5 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Tri-Oval
Banking: 20 degrees
Express Notes:
Bristol Recap: Denny Hamlin had a third Bristol Motor Speedway win in his sights Saturday night. He’d already led 65 laps and was working on retaking the lead from Kyle Larson, but contact between the two cars cut a tire on the FedEx Freight Toyota and sent Hamlin sliding into the wall, ending his drive toward Victory Lane. The incident came with 101 laps to go in the 500-lap race, when Hamlin dove underneath Larson to go for the lead, and the two cars made side-by-side contact. The #11 team quickly made repairs under the ensuing caution and kept their car on the lead lap. But there weren’t enough laps remaining for Hamlin to get back to the front to challenge Larson. The FedEx Racing team did reclaim 13 spots, pushing the FedEx Camry from 22nd to ninth before the checkered flag flew as Larson crossed the line for the win.
Las Vegas Preview: The Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs takes the green flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday evening, taking the FedEx Racing team back to an intermediate track, where they’ve made significant gains in recent months. Hamlin is still looking for his first career win at the mile-and-a-half oval, where he has four top-five and nine top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish in March.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Races: 19
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 9
Laps Led: 186
Avg. Start: 15.2
Avg. Finish: 12.9
Hamlin Conversation – Las Vegas:
Do you see Vegas as the most important race in the next round?
“That is the track where you can control your own destiny the most, so that is the one you have to put the most emphasis on. If you do a good job as a driver and your car is fast and the team does their job, that is where you can get your best result. The other two tracks you are more likely to be caught up in someone else’s issues. I’m sure that race will be the most nervous the entire 12-car playoff field is going to be, hoping that they perform well, because there are just no givens after that.”
What has the team done to try to end your winless streak at Vegas?
“The second round, for many years, terrified me because Las Vegas was by far my worst mile-and-a-half racetrack. So, we found a set-up that really works for me there, and we’ve been really good. We’ve had good internal meetings about what I need to do to be the best car. I’ve been the second- or third-best car on the mile-and-a-halfs this year – (Kyle) Larson obviously being the stand-out best. As a team, we’ve got a plan, and I’ve got a plan, to take the next step to be a dominant car every week.”
FedEx Office Along for the Ride at Las Vegas: FedEx Office recognizes FedEx Office District 122 – NYC East for being the top district in its Elite Club standings through June 2021. “D122” will be along for the ride with Denny Hamlin for the Las Vegas race, appearing on the B-post of the FedEx Office Toyota.
FedEx Office – Closest to Las Vegas Motor Speedway: 228 S Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 431-5076
