Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Pocono 400
Date/Time: Sunday, June 3/2 p.m. ET
Distance: 160 Laps/400 Miles
Track Length: 2.5 Miles
Track Shape: Triangle
2017 Winner: Ryan Blaney
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.
Charlotte Recap: Denny Hamlin finished third in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, marking his third top-three finish of the 2018 season. Hamlin maintained his position at the front of the field for the majority of the 400-lap race and finished Stage one in eighth and Stage two in fourth before taking sixth in Stage three. After a swift four-tire stop during the last Stage break, Hamlin lined up fourth in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota for the fourth and final 100-lap Stage of the event. He maintained that position as the segment ran caution-free, and when it came time for scheduled pit stops, Hamlin and the FedEx Racing crew elected to pit last, giving the #11 a chance to contend with fresh tires. Hamlin worked to chase down the leaders, but he was unable to close the gap between himself and second-place contender Martin Truex Jr. before the checkered flag flew.
Pocono Preview: The Series heads to Pocono Raceway this Sunday for 400 miles around the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle”. Hamlin is looking to add a fifth victory at Pocono to his impressive résumé of 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes at the Pennsylvania track. He also averages a 7.2 starting position at Pocono which is a Series best among active drivers.
Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares: This season, FedEx is tying the performance of the #11 FedEx Toyota on the track to its efforts to improve road safety through a new program, Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares, by donating $111 for each lap Hamlin leads and $11,000 for each race victory to Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit working to protect kids on the road, at home and at play. FedEx will also contribute $111,000 to Safe Kids if the #11 team wins the 2018 NASCAR championship. New for the 2018 season, the Denny Hamlin Foundation will also match the total donation to Safe Kids Worldwide.
Hamlin led nine laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday, generating a $999 donation to Safe Kids on behalf of FedEx. After 13 regular season races, Hamlin has led 235 laps resulting in an $26,085 donation to Safe Kids Worldwide which will ultimately be matched by the Denny Hamlin Foundation. Fans can track the total amount donated to date from the Delivering Laps for FedEx Cares program on the homepage of FedExRacing.com.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Pocono Raceway
Races: 24
Wins: 4
Poles: 3
Top-5: 10
Top-10: 15
Laps Led: 688
Avg. Start: 7.2 (Series Best)
Avg. Finish: 11.8
Hamlin Conversation:
You and your #11 FedEx Racing team have been showing solid consistency this season, collecting eight top-10 finishes thus far. Do you see that success continuing at Pocono?
“We’ve been so close to getting that first win of the season, but we’re obviously still looking to find that little bit of speed that will help us get to victory lane. This team has been working hard to get us out front, and we’re going to keep pushing until we get that first-place result we’re working for. We’ve had success at Pocono before, so this weekend could definitely be the time we make that happen.”
