FedEx Racing Express Facts – Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Freight Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Race Info:
Race: Bank of America Roval 400
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 30/2:00 PM ET
Race Distance: 109 laps/248.52 miles
Track Shape: 17-turn road course
Track Length: 2.28-mile
Express Notes:
Richmond Recap: Denny Hamlin finished 16th in Saturday night’s Playoffs race at Richmond Raceway, unable to overcome an early-race spin in the 300-mile event won by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. Hamlin qualified on the front row, but fell right outside of the top-five in the opening laps while battling loose handling conditions. After completing only 53 circuits, the 17 car made contact with Hamlin’s rear bumper and nearly sent him spinning, but the FedEx Racing driver was able to keep the car under control, and the race stayed green. Hamlin was forced to pit following the incident, and the unscheduled green-flag stop put Hamlin one lap down in 26th. He rallied to regain his position in the Stage’s closing laps and ultimately fought his way to ninth where he finished the first segment. Hamlin started the second 100-lap segment from ninth and went on to finish 15th when the second yellow-checkered flew. He started the final Stage from 14th, and as the #11 was being serviced during a schedule green-flag stop, an untimely caution for a single-car wreck trapped Hamlin another lap down. The team took advantage of the wave around, however Hamlin remained one lap down in 16th where he ultimately finished.
Ready to Roval: The Series makes their first-ever visit to the 17-turn Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway this Sunday, Sept. 30, for the first cut-off race in the 2018 Playoffs. In 26 Cup Series road course starts between Sonoma and Watkins Glen, Hamlin has collected one win, six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, notching four of those top-five finishes in his last six starts over the last three seasons. At the traditional Charlotte Motor Speedway oval, Hamlin has made 26 starts and earned nine top-five finishes, including five in his last six starts at the 1.5-mile speedway.
Playoffs Outlook: Following Saturday’s 16th-place finish at Richmond Raceway, Hamlin remains 16th in the NASCAR Playoffs standings, 29 points outside the cut-off position. Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team will look to clinch their spot in the Round of 12 with a win at the Roval.
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 28 regular season races, Hamlin has led 308 laps resulting in a $34,188 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: Charlotte Motor Speedway*
Races: 26
Wins: 0
Poles: 2
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 17
Laps Led: 356
Avg. Start: 10.5
Avg. Finish: 12.1
*Stats based on results at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional oval
Hamlin Conversation – Roval:
As we approach the first cut-off race in the 2018 Playoffs and at a brand new track, what is your outlook on the weekend ahead?
“At this point in the season, we need a win, and that’s how we can continue to chase down a Championship. We obviously have not been performing the way we’ve hoped to in this first Round (of the Playoffs), but anything can happen at the Roval this weekend. When we tested there earlier this year I thought we were one of the best cars, we just need to set ourselves up to qualify well so we can be out front.”
FedEx Freight Montgomery, Ala. Service Center Along for the Ride at Charlotte: FedEx Freight recognizes the company’s Montgomery, Ala. service center for their commitment to outstanding service by featuring the call letters “MGM” on the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota this weekend at the Charlotte Roval.
FedEx Office – Closest to Charlotte Motor Speedway: 7741 Gateway Lane NW, Suite 110, Concord, NC 28027, (704) 979-1971
