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Hamlin, FedEx Racing Nearly Perfect in PhoenixFuel Strategy Earns Team Third-Place
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As the final laps counted down Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway, Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team thought they had victory in their grasp. Strategy had them in position, but the competition didn't cooperate. Pitting on lap 296, with 16 laps remaining, the team executed a flawless stop based on sound reasoning - pit early for fuel and two tires, then make up the time on the track as the rest of the field pitted for fuel. Unfortunately, two cars were able to go the distance, leaving Hamlin and the team to bring home the #11 FedEx Kinko's/March of Times Toyota in a very good, but bittersweet, third place.
"What a great run by this whole FedEx Kinko's Toyota team," said Hamlin. "We had a winning car there at the end. Great call by Mike (Ford, crew chief) to choose to come in early and take those tires because we had those guys there at the end if they didn't make it on fuel. We were trying to raise awareness for March of Dimes and I think we did that by running up front tonight. It's encouraging to know how well we ran with this whole team. It was a solid day and we kept improving on it each and every run. That's all you can ask for."
The result marks the third time in six starts that Hamlin has finished third at Phoenix, a track he lists among his favorites, and it elevates the team to sixth place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings heading to Talladega in two weeks time. The points position is a marked improvement for a team who sat in 31st place following the second race of the season.
Jimmie Johnson was able to stretch his fuel and hold on for the win - his first of the 2008 season and second consecutive at Phoenix. Clint Bowyer also benefited from his not having to pit to catapult into the second spot before the checkered flag flew. Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Mark Martin filled out the top five.
“If they weren't going to make it we were going to be the ones to capitalize. I would have loved to see Mark Martin get a win," added Hamlin. "Like he said after the race, we don't get that many chances to win races. I was there rooting for him even though I was trying to chase him down there at the end."
Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart, who at times throughout the race had the entire JGR contingent running in the top ten, settled for finishes of 10th and 14th, respectively.
The night started brightly for Hamlin and the team as it was clear the starting position of 16th was an apparition. Hamlin pulled the #11 to the bottom of the track and methodically worked his way forward. Through a caution on lap 12, Hamlin managed his way into the top ten by lap 23, and ran in eighth when the caution flew on lap 42.
Crew Chief Mike Ford called Hamlin on to pit road for wedge and air pressure adjustments to help the grip off the turns for the driver of the #11 and the crew had Hamlin out to restart ninth on lap 46.
The extended green flag run that followed the caution offered Hamlin the opportunity to gain more ground and he wasted little time diving past Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. to claim the sixth spot by the time the teams made their first green flag pit stops of the night.
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Hamlin was prepared to pull onto pit road just as the caution came on lap 115. While he was fortunate to have been able to stay on the track, a handful of cars were not so lucky and were caught on pit road under caution. Hamlin would eventually make his stop when pit road reopened, and the team had him lined up fifth for the restart on lap 122.
Almost immediately following the restart Hamlin surrendered the fifth spot to teammate Busch and found himself wheel to wheel with the #07 of Bowyer. That tight racing, however, would be suspended when Newman lost an engine and spread oil nearly all the way around the 1.0-mile track. With cars spinning on the slick surface, NASCAR had little choice but to show the red flag and stop the competitors on the track while the safety crews cleaned up the mess.
After a ten minute delay and a stop for tires and fuel, Hamlin restarted eighth on lap 141. In a strange occurrence, a lug nut off one of the rear tires lodged underneath the jack delaying Hamlin's exit from pit road and costing him two spots.
Back under green Hamlin held his position before the caution flag waved only 20 laps later. Ford again called him onto pit road for a track bar adjustment once again aimed at helping the #11 FedEx Camry get back on the throttle without losing grip.
Hamlin restarted eighth on lap 166 and immediately put the changes to work as he carved his way forward, claiming fifth place on lap 175 and holding that position until the seventh caution of the day flew on lap 201.
The FedEx team ripped through a four tire change that included both track bar and wedge adjustments before sending Hamlin out to restart fourth - a gain of one spot.
Hamlin closed a one-second gap on Truex Jr. to take third place before the final caution of the day flew on lap 229 - predictably right on the edge of the fuel window.
On pit road for tires, fuel and track bar adjustment, the crew again worked quickly to hold on to third place. Hamlin restarted behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin but caught the driver of the #8 Chevrolet and the two raced wheel to wheel for several laps before Martin pulled away. Hamlin followed him to the bumper of the #88 and both cars passed to give Hamlin second place.
On top of the FedEx pit box the fuel calculations were showing the #11 to be in the range of six laps short on fuel - making the option of not pitting far too risky. The decision was made to call Hamlin in for fuel, confident that the speed of the #11, the gap to the cars behind and the necessity of the other teams to pit for fuel would give the FedEx team a real shot at coming out in the lead.
Ford called Hamlin onto pit road on lap 296 and, to give Hamlin the best opportunity to gain time on the track over the final 16 lap, ordered up right side tires as well. The crew got Hamlin out quick and he cycled through ahead of Martin, but couldn't catch the cars of Johnson and Bowyer who managed to stretch their fuel loads to the end.
Following the race, Hamlin and Ford both agreed they had made the right call and lamented that the plan had only been foiled by the mileage of cars running back in the pack.
The Sprint Cup continues on April 27th when the Series visits Talladega Superspeedway for the running of the Aaron's 499.