Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301
Date/Time: Saturday, July 22/2:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 301 Laps/318.4 Miles
Track Length: 1 mile
Banking: 7 degrees
Track Shape: Oval
2017 Winner: Denny Hamlin
Express Notes:
Daytona Recap: Denny Hamlin overcame a tight-handling #11 FedEx Office Toyota and early brake troubles to finish 16th in Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway. Hamlin lined up 36th to take the green flag for Saturday night’s 400-mile event after the team did not make it through pre-qualifying inspection in time to attempt a qualifying lap during Friday night’s session. He wasted no time working to advance his position though and gained 10 spots in just two circuits around the 1.5-mile oval. After battling with brake issues, he managed to wheel the #11 FedEx Office Toyota to a 13th-place Stage 1 finish followed by a 16th-place result in Stage 2. For the final Stage, Hamlin received four fresh tires and fuel to put him 13th for the restart, and he continued in that position as Crew Chief Mike Wheeler called him to pit road for a green-flag stop on lap 208. Unfortunately, the caution came out while Hamlin was pitting which caused him to fall a lap down to the leaders. He took the wave around to restart at the tail end of the longest line in 25th, ultimately battling his way back to 16th before the checkered-flag waved.
New Hampshire Preview: The Series makes its way to New England for its first and only New Hampshire Motor Speedway stop of the 2018 season. Hamlin returns as the reigning race winner, leading 54 laps in route to Victory Lane in last year’s event. He has notched three total wins at the “Magic Mile” – tied for a Series best among active drivers – and has started within the top-10 in his last eight starts at the short track.
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.
After 18 regular season races, Hamlin has led 239 laps resulting in a $26,529 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.
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.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Races: 24
Wins: 3 (Tied for series-best among active drivers)
Poles: 0
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 14
Laps Led: 549
Avg. Start: 10.5
Avg. Finish: 10.1
Hamlin Conversation:
You’re returning to Loudon as the reigning race winner. What’s your outlook for the weekend ahead?
“We’ve obviously had a strong showing at New Hampshire these past few seasons, and our FedEx Racing team is returning with the goal to repeat last year’s success. We were able to come from the back and take home the win last July, and we’ll do whatever it takes to do that again so we can lock in our spot to the 2018 Playoffs.”
FedEx Freight Montpelier, Vermont, Service Center Along for the Ride at New Hampshire: FedEx Freight recognizes the company’s Montpelier, Vt. service center by featuring the call letters “MPV” on the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Montpelier service center has approximately 35 team members who are committed to making every FedEx experience outstanding.
FedEx Office – Closest to New Hampshire Motor Speedway: 10 Ft Eddy Rd, Concord, NH, (603) 226-0565
