FedEx Racing Express Facts — Texas Motor Speedway

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: AAA Texas 500
Date/Time: Nov. 6/1 p.m. CT
Distance: 334 laps/501 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad-oval
Banking: 24 degrees
2015 Winner: Jimmie Johnson

Talladega Recap: Denny Hamlin overcame an early race pit road speeding penalty to finish third in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, posting a strong result in the first Chase Round of 8 playoff race in the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry at the flat, half-mile Virginia track. Hamlin lined up as the leader for the final restart on Lap 387 (of 500), but eventually gave way to eventual winner Jimmie Johnson 20 laps later, crossing the finish line behind Johnson and Brad Keselowski to move into second in the point standings.

Hamlin, a five-time Martinsville winner, started eighth and ran among the top-10 throughout the early portion of the race. However, during the first caution on Lap 23, Hamlin pitted for four tires and fuel, but was caught speeding on pit exit and forced to restart at the tail end of the line. The Virginia native marched through the field, picking off positions on the tight Martinsville ‘paperclip.’

He returned to the top-10 and remained there throughout the 500-lap event. He took the lead for the first time on Lap 356 and led again from 362-408. The finish propelled Hamlin to second in the Chase standings following Martinsville. Johnson earned a berth in the Championship 4 with the win, and three more spots remain with two races left in the current segment.

Texas Preview: The Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 500-mile race on the fast, 1.5-mile oval. Hamlin is a two-time Texas winner, sweeping both races at the track in 2010 en route to an eight-win season and runner-up finish in the point standings. Hamlin has posted 10 top-10 finishes in 21 races at the track, and has led 154 laps at TMS.

Hamlin Statistics:

Track: Texas Motor Speedway

Races: 21
Wins: 2
Top-5: 5
Top-10: 10
Average Start: 15.6
Average Finish: 12.1
Laps Led: 154

Hamlin Conversation — TEXAS:

How will the FedEx Racing Team approach Texas Motor Speedway this weekend?

“Certainly, our goal is to go out and win the race. That’s the only way we can ensure that we can run for a championship at Homestead. We have had some success at Texas in the past, and it’s a pretty good track for us, so hopefully we can go out there, run up front and have a chance to win at the end. We need to have a smooth day on pit road and position ourselves for a good finish. The points will definitely come down to the wire in Phoenix, and we need to try to build as big of a cushion as possible.”

Florida Sales Team Along for the Ride at Texas: The FedEx Office Sales Team in Florida, a leader in the company’s annual President’s Club program, will be recognized with its “7632” code numbers on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway