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Hamlin, FedEx Racing Cap Record Season with Third at Homestead
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HOMESTEAD, FL (November 22, 2006) - In a fitting end to an incredible season, Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx team once again showed they are championship caliber, putting together a great race Sunday to capture third-place in the final race of the season and claim third place in the 2006 Nextel Cup points standings
Officially named Raybestos Rookie of the Year on Sunday, Hamlin’s third-place points finish marks the best season-long performance by a rookie since his teammate Tony Stewart placed fourth in 1999. Hamlin’s inaugural season will go down in the records as one of the best debuts in NASCAR history.
“It’s been a great year for this FedEx Racing team,” said Hamlin. “To come here to the final race of the season and run this well – I am just ecstatic. This is the way I wanted to end the year, with a top-five finish. I hope everyone associated with this team or anyone who is a fan of the #11 can celebrate our great season tonight.”
Jimmie Johnson captured his first Nextel Cup title with a ninth-place finish on the evening, while Greg Biffle continued his domination at Homestead - taking the checkered flag in front Martin Truex Jr. and Hamlin.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Tony Stewart finished 15th and J.J. Yeley, who looked poised to finish the season on a high note, ran out of gas before the end and settled for 30th.
The teams will now look forward to a break before heading to Daytona to test early in 2007.
After his second 33rd place qualifying effort in as many weeks, Hamlin had long lines of traffic laid out before him at the start of Sunday’s race but he also had the luxury of knowing he had a car up to the test. In final practice, chassis 121 looked to be as good as any car on the track and the team believed it could get to the front and stay there.
Through the opening laps of the race, Hamlin did his best to navigate the crowd as he searched for any passing opportunities. Knowing his car would be extremely strong in the clean air toward the front of the pack, he didn’t shy away from any opportunity to make up positions.
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When the first of eleven cautions on the night flew on lap nine, Hamlin pulled the #11 FedEx Chevrolet onto pit road and the crew rattled off a quick stop to get him out 30th. Another caution flag only five laps later had several cars back on pit road but Mike Ford called for Hamlin to stay on the track and he would line up 23rd for the restart on 19.
By lap 42 Hamlin had worked to within sight of the top twenty and his feedback to the crew was that, with the shade from the setting sun cooling areas of the track, the car was getting progressively tighter.
The caution flag flew again on lap 46 and Ford called Hamlin onto pit road for wedge, track bar and air pressure adjustments to the #11 FedEx machine. Another quick stop by the crew earned Hamlin three spots on pit road and he would line up to restart 18th on lap 49.
Following the restart Hamlin found his rhythm and the #11 responded in kind. He picked off Paul Menard, and Elliott Sadler on his way to 16th and then had to pass Harvick for 15th and the advantage over the 29 in the standings.
By lap 100 most of the field entered their fuel window and the first green flag stops of the race began. Hamlin was running 14th and informed the crew the car was still extremely tight, but they were apprehensive to make too many changes as the lap times were very competitive.
Pitting on lap 106, the crew made a track bar and wedge adjustment before sending Hamlin out to cycle through in 14th place.
The race would only stay green until lap 115 when the caution flag flew and Hamlin radioed the crew that the car was as loose as it had been all day. Onto pit road for an air pressure and track bar adjustment, the crew again earned Hamlin a spot and he would line up 13th for the restart on lap 121.
Back on the track the #11 was fast and it didn’t take long for Hamlin to crack the top-ten for the first time on the day. When he passed Harvick again for ninth, he was locked into a close points race with second-place Matt Kenseth.
Onto pit road for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment Hamlin looked poised to make a run to the front before a loose lug nut forced him to return to pit road and shuffled to the tail end of the lead lap for the restart.
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Relegated to the back, Hamlin again had his work cut out for him if he wanted to get back to the front and he went to work, methodically picking off cars and not shying away from going three wide into the corners to gain position.
By lap 204 he was back into the top ten and again racing Harvick and Kenseth for spots on the track and in the standings. Ford again called him onto pit road but this time ordered only two tires on the stop and the #11 FedEx crew got Hamlin out quick and he lined up fifth.
He worked past Kenseth on lap 214 for fourth place and then took third from Scott Riggs on lap 233.
The caution flag came out again on lap 246 and Hamlin again visited pit road for two tires only. He lined up third and would hold the spot through an extended red flag caution on lap 253.
Forced into a green-white-checkered finish by a very late caution, Hamlin went side by side with Kasey Kahne for second only to see Truex sneak by on the outside to take second place. Hamlin would settle for third on the day, and clinch third in the standings by virtue of another great team effort.
Hamlin on the Closing Laps: ““It was definitely exciting. Martin got a great restart and got to the outside of us. My goal was to get around Kasey and if we could do that then we were going to get second in points but Matt moved up one spot so we were going to have to win anyway. A third-place finish is great for us. We’re going to move on and have a great 2007.”
Hamlin on the 2006 Season: “It’s been a great season and it’s kind of soaked in little by little with each win and each top-five finish we get. It’s just a testament to how strong this race team is. They are not putting junk under me. This is championship material stuff that’s under me and everyone knows it because of what Tony did last year. To finish third in points is a great accomplishment for us.”
Hamlin on Looking Ahead: “It’s hard to say what to expect. All we can do is move our goals up. We finished third in points this year. Next year is second or better. That’s the bottom line. This race team expects to do well and it’s been a great year for us.”
On his Rookie Season: “I don’t think it could be any better, really. We couldn’t have been much better than what we were. Short of winning we were going to end up third in points. I feel like we just battled track position all day. Had the lug nut problem but it’s been a great year and I’m so happy.”