RACE INFO:
Event: Irwin Tools Night Race
Date/Time: Aug. 25/7:30 p.m. ET
2011 winner: Brad Keselowski
2011 polesitter: Ryan Newman
Distance: 500 laps/266.5 miles
Track Length: 0.533 miles
Banking: 28 degrees
Track Shape: Oval
EXPRESS NOTES:
Michigan Recap: Denny Hamlin finished 11th in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, battling track position throughout the 201-lap event on the two-mile track won by Greg Biffle. Hamlin restarted 10th for the two-lap ‘green-white-checkered’ finish but was unable to make up any ground, settling for a hard-fought 11th-place run in the season’s 23rd race. Hamlin started 21st in the #11 FedEx Office Toyota and quickly moved up into the top-15 in the early going. A caution near the race’s midpoint saw Hamlin sustain minimal right-front damage. He came to the pits for repairs, but had to restart back in 28th. A caution shortly after allowed Hamlin to move up as the leaders pit, and a long green-flag run shuffle the #11 car to the lead for a lap prior to the race’s final caution period. The finish kept Hamlin 10th in the NASCAR standings following Michigan, 96 points behind leader Biffle after 23 of 26 regular season races.
Back to Bristol: The Series heads back to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s 500-lap event at the ‘Concrete Coliseum.’ Hamlin is making his 14th career start at the half-mile track, recording six top-10 finishes in 13 career Bristol races, including a runner-up result in the Spring 2009 event. In the March race at Bristol earlier this year, Hamlin finished 20th, fighting track position in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry throughout the 500-lap event won by Brad Keselowski. A right-front wheel left loose during a key green flag pit stop near the race’s halfway point forced a second stop, where the #11 Toyota lost two laps to the leaders. Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb did all they could to work strategy for the remainder of the race, but eventually settled for 20th.
Race Series Date Start Finish Laps (Led)
Food City 500 Sprint Cup March 18, 2012 20 20 498/500
Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup August 27, 2011 20 7 500/500
Jeff Byrd 500 Sprint Cup March 20, 2011 25 33 488/500
Irwin Tools Night Race Sprint Cup August 21, 2010 17 34 473/500
Food City 500 Sprint Cup March 21, 2010 15 19 500/500
Sharpie 500 Sprint Cup August 22, 2009 41 5 500/500
Food City 500 Sprint Cup March 22, 2009 24 2 503/503 7
Sharpie 500 Sprint Cup Aug. 23, 2008 21 3 500/500
Food City 500 Sprint Cup March 16, 2008 12 6 506/506 98
Sharpie 500 Nextel Cup Aug. 25, 2007 33 14 209/500
Food City 500 Nextel Cup March 25, 2007 10 14 504/504 177
Sharpie 500 Nextel Cup Aug. 26, 2006 6 6 500/500
Food City 500 Nextel Cup March 26, 2006 33 14 500/500
Averages/Totals 21.6 15.8 94.9% 282
FedEx Office – Closest to Bristol Motor Speedway: 2116 North Roan St., Suite 1A, Johnson City, TN 37601, (423) 283-9503
Western Rockies District Along for the Ride at Bristol: The FedEx Ground Western Rockies district will be recognized for outstanding safety performance with its district code “WROK” on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Western Rockies district extends from its Salt Lake City hub to include most of Idaho, Nevada and Utah.
HAMLIN CONVERSATION — Bristol Motor Speedway
Do you think Bristol owes you a victory after coming so close in the past?
“Coming so close before has really only made us want to win one of these Bristol races more than ever. There is no doubt that winning at Bristol would be special and I know I speak for the entire team when I say leaving here with a trophy is something everyone in racing wants to accomplish in their career. We’ve felt like we’ve had the car on a couple of occasions but had some bad luck in terms of parts going bad at the worst possible times. Twice we ran almost 500 laps around Bristol to get in position to win only to have things go wrong at the very end. This team regroups and works even harder because we know we can run well at Bristol.”
2012 FEDEX RACING – TEAM ROSTER
Crew Chief: Darian Grubb – Floyd, Va. Front Tire Changer: Nick Krizmanich – Kenosha, Wis.
Car Chief: Chris “Spider” Gillin – Smithtown, N.Y. Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram – Statesville, N.C.
Engineer: Mike Wheeler – Southholt, N.Y. Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks – Salisbury, N.C.
Engineer: Ross Kippenbrock – Indianapolis, Ind. Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry – Belmont, N.C.
Shocks: Drew Bible – Coldwater, Mich. Jackman: Nate Bolling – Swanton, Ohio
Tire Specialist: Kerry Ferris – Perry, N.Y. Gas Man: Scott Wood – Liberty, S.C.
Mechanic: Nick Fuller – Casa Grande, Ariz. Pit Crew Coordinator: Paul Alepa – Vienna, Va.
Mechanic: John Furino – Long Island, N.Y. JGR Athletic Director: Michael Lepp – Charlotte, N.C.
Spotter: Chris Lambert – Kannapolis, N.C. Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess – Lancaster, Pa.
Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel – Blythe, Calif.
