FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS AUTO CLUB 500 - CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

EXPRESS NOTES:

Daytona in the Rear View: Despite leading 32 laps and having one of the field's stronger cars early in the race, damage from a pit road incident on lap 120 eventually sealed the #11 FedEx team's fate and relegated driver Denny Hamlin to a 17th place finish in the 2008 Daytona 500. The damage done to the left-rear quarter panel of Hamlin's Toyota-powered FedEx Express Camry occurred when Bobby Labonte pulled from his pit stall and clipped the #11 as he exited pit road. After the crew made the necessary repairs, Hamlin restarted deep in the pack and fell victim to a string of late-race incidents that twice collected the #11 and forced him to pit road for additional work. Hamlin did well to bring the car home in the top-twenty after running as low as 30th place on the evening. Though not adding a trophy to the cabinet back in Huntersville, an obvious silver lining for the entire Joe Gibbs Racing organization was the performance of all three cars. Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch all led laps and, at various points of the race, seemed capable of winning.

Hamlin Fastest at Preseason California Test: Hamlin and the FedEx team used only one of the two available test dates at California Speedway in early February but certainly felt they accomplished all that they wanted to. Out first on the opening day of testing, Hamlin laid down a lap that would sit atop the chart throughout the two day test.

Hamlin at California: This will be Hamlin’s fifth career Cup start at California Speedway. Though not yet cracking the top five at the 2.0-mile track, Hamlin has never finished outside of the top twenty. In the fall 2007 race at California a cut tire under caution late in the race spoiled what was otherwise a promising day for the FedEx team. Last February, Hamlin had a very competitive car and ran as high as third place before handling issues caused him to fade late in the race and take the checkered in 11th.