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Hamlin, FedEx Racing Cut Short in Dover - Finish 43rdLap 16 Wreck Catches Hamlin for First DNF of 2008
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Starting 33rd in Sunday’s Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway, Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Kinko’s Toyota team knew they were bound to face trouble coming from deep in the field. After just 16 laps on a hot afternoon at Dover, Hamlin had already moved to 25th spot before chaos ensued and his day was over. That fast - and the day was done. Hamlin was collected in a twelve-car incident coming out of turn two and the ensuing damage meant the #11 wouldn't leave the garage again. Crew chief Mike Ford declared the car beyond repair and Hamlin was scored 43rd in the final results. By virtue of the incident Hamlin dropped from fourth to ninth in NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.
“Even through only 16 laps I know our FedEx Kinko’s Toyota was good enough to the get to the front," said a very disappointed Hamlin. “We felt pretty good about what we had. It’s just everyone going for the same spot. It’s so tight off of turn two right there. When I heard ‘wreck off turn two’ I immediately was on the brakes. It’s just these cars don’t stop as well as they have in the past. Luckily, I wasn’t the last one. It looked like guys even behind me piled in there. It’s just part of the race track. It’s tough racing early in the going. I really can’t say it’s anybody’s fault right there. It’s just tough racing.”
Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch took the checkered flag for his fourth win of the 2008 season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. Tony Stewart, involved in the same incident as Hamlin, returned to the track but on account of substantial damage was forced to limp to a 41st place finish. Busch remains the overall series points leader, followed by Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle.
The race marked the first time in the last five races that Hamlin did not lead a lap during competition but on this day, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time:
“I didn’t even see what happened to start it,” shrugged Hamlin. “All I know is I came off turn two and I was in the brakes. The spotter was telling me to slow way down and even stop but I can’t stop any harder than what these brakes will let me."
The next stop for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers is the 2 ½ mile tri-oval of Pocono International Raceway - a track that Denny Hamlin definitely knows his way around and hopes will be the start of a new streak of success. Hamlin and the FedEx team will be looking for some momentum as they start the long summer schedule that leads up to the Chase for the Sprint Cup cutoff.