29th in Texas for Hamlin, FedEx Racing
Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team endured the highs and lows of racing Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. In a strong car and buoyed by smart and quick decisions on pit road, Denny Hamlin took the lead for the last time on lap 234 and look poised to battle for the win. However, a multi-lap side-by-side duel with Matt Kenseth for the lead saw Denny Hamlin make slight contact with the #17 and it was enough to break the FedEx Kinko’s Chevrolet loose and send Denny Hamlin into the outside wall.
The damage sent Denny Hamlin first down pit road and later into the garage for repairs. He did return to the track down several laps down and couldn’t improve upon his running position of 29th.
“It’s really disappointing given just how well we were running,” said Denny Hamlin post race. “It was good, competitive racing with Matt Kenseth but I made the mistake and got into him a little. That’s my mistake. To be honest we ran so close for so many laps, I didn’t really see him until the last second. I hate it for everyone on this FedEx team, but I am really thankful for the car they built. We had something for them tonight but didn’t finish it off.”
The result drops Denny Hamlin down two spots to eleventh in the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings with only two races to go.
Jimmie Johnson won his third consecutive race to put himself out front in the Chase. Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr, and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Tony Stewart and J.J. Yeley finished 11th and 17th, respectively.
Denny Hamlin started the race from the seventh spot on the grid and certainly looked to continue a run of very good performances at Texas Motor Speedway. The opening segment didn’t give any of the competitors an opportunity to get a real feel for their cars or the track as the race was halted by four cautions in only the first 35 laps.
Despite the constant interruptions and lack of green flag laps, Denny Hamlin pushed the car forward, reaching third place by the time the first caution flew on lap 15. Crew Chief Mike Ford called Denny Hamlin onto pit road for tires, fuel and a small air pressure adjustment. The stop started a trend of quick stops for minimal adjustments.
It was clear from the onset that the #11 FedEx Kinko’s Chevy was competitive, with Denny Hamlin asking for only small changes to free him up on his return to throttle. It was equally clear that the car would ultimately need only those slight adjustments to give Denny Hamlin the balance he was looking for.
The crew went to work again under caution on lap 35, changing two tires and filling the #11 with fuel before sending Denny Hamlin out to restart 22nd on lap 40 behind several cars that stayed out.
Denny Hamlin wasted no time showing what the FedEx Kinko’s Chevrolet could do. As he worked both the low and middle groove, he was able to constantly find the best line for the car. By lap 61 he had the #11 back into the top ten and when the lead cars started pitting, Denny Hamlin rode comfortably in the top five.
With the race staying green for an extended period of time for the first time all day, Denny Hamlin reached his fuel window and Ford called him onto pit road on lap 89. The crew made another slight air pressure adjustment to free Denny Hamlin up, changed four tires and filled the #11 with fuel before sending Denny Hamlin out to cycle through in eighth place but then gained four more spots as the final cars pitted.
J.J. Yeley’s spin on lap 118 brought out the caution flag again and Denny Hamlin radioed the crew that he was still tight on initial throttle but really wanted only small changes.
Ford called him in for four tires, fuel and a small wedge adjustment and the crew had him out quick to restart fifth on lap 122.
With the green flag out again, Denny Hamlin raced through a string of cautions to maintain position in the top five. He stayed out under caution to remain fifth on lap 148 and worked past Dale Earnhardt Jr. for fourth, before taking third from Casey Mears.
With green flag stops underway, Denny Hamlin turned on to pit road on lap 189 for four tires, fuel, and another air pressure adjustment. He cycled through tenth but as the rest of the field pitted, Denny Hamlin found himself closing fast on leader Kyle Busch.
He caught the #5 on lap 210 but the caution flag would again tighten the field on lap 212. With end of race fuel considerations now in play, Denny Hamlin visited pit road for another round of air pressure adjustments, four tires and fuel before lining up to restart in the lead on lap 217.
Matt Kesenth, running second, took the #17 to the top of the track and used a huge run off of turn two to pass Denny Hamlin only two laps into the run, but that lead would only last until the caution on lap 232.
On pit road, the FedEx Crew stepped up again – changing two tires and making a wedge adjustment – before getting Denny Hamlin out first for the restart on lap 234.
Following the restart, Denny Hamlin ran out front for twenty laps before Matt Kenseth was once again on his bumper. The two engaged in a ten lap battle that featured some of the best racing of the 334 lap event.
The pair raced side by side, with each driver trying a line that would allow them to pass and clear the other. Running close off the treacherous turn two, Denny Hamlin came up the track and caught the left rear of Matt Kenseth with the right front of the #11. The contact forced Denny Hamlin off the throttle and the FedEx Kinko’s Chevy slid up the track and into the outside wall inflicting heavy damage on the right side of the car.
Ford called him onto pit road for immediate repairs, but it was clear there was more substantial damage and, several laps after the restart, Denny Hamlin was on his way to the garage.
The crew made significant repairs to the #11 in the garage before sending Denny Hamlin out to rejoin the field seven laps down. As he rode out the race he did his best to stay out of the way of the tight battle at the front of the field, ultimately finishing ten laps down and in 29th place.
The Chase for the Nextel Cup continues at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 11, 2007.
