FedEx Racing Express Facts – Charlotte Motor Speedway
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Bank of America 500
Date/Time: Oct. 8/6:45 p.m. ET
Distance: 334 laps/501 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad-Oval
2015 Winner: Joey Logano
Dover Recap: Denny Hamlin finished ninth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, advancing to the Round of 12 in the Chase playoffs after four drivers were eliminated following the 400-lap event at the “Monster Mile.” Hamlin started seventh and needed to finish 13th or better to advance. The FedEx team strategy was to run a conservative race, stay out of trouble and make sure they didn’t make any mistakes on the track or on pit road. Track position was at a premium throughout the 400-mile race on the high-banked, concrete oval, and Hamlin lost a lap to eventual winner Martin Truex Jr. on a long green flag run, and spent the last 80 laps one lap down. Truex Jr. set a torrid pace over the final 100 laps and just six of the 40 cars in the field finished on the lead lap. Truex Jr. was victorious, followed by Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth. The four drivers eliminated following Dover were Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray and Chris Buescher.
Charlotte Preview: The Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s 500-mile event on the fast, 1.5-mile oval, and the only night race in the 10-race Chase playoffs. Hamlin has six top-five finishes in 22 career starts at Charlotte, including back-to-back fourth-place results in the last two races at the track — this May’s Coca-Cola 600 and last fall’s Bank of America 500 Chase race. Hamlin has led 240 laps at the track and posted 14 career top-10 finishes at Charlotte.
Hamlin Statistics:
> Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
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> Races: 22
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> Wins: 0
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> Top-5: 6
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> Top-10: 14
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> Average Start: 11.5
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> Average Finish: 12.4
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> Laps Led: 240
Hamlin Conversation — CHARLOTTE:
What is the team’s strategy for this weekend in Charlotte?
“Obviously, the most important thing is to go out and try to win the race. We had a good run at Charlotte last fall, followed it up in Kansas but then got eliminated in Talladega after some misfortune. Nothing is guaranteed in this round unless you win, and that’s what we are going to try to do. It’s a long race and a lot can happen, so it’s important to minimize any mistakes and maintain track position throughout the night to come home with a good finish.”
High Point, N.C. Along for the Ride at Charlotte: The FedEx Office location in High Point, N.C., a leading store in the company’s annual President’s Club program, will be recognized with its “1760” code numbers on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota this weekend at Charlotte.
