Bud Shootout Post Race Report
Hamlin First to Checkered Flag in Shootout, but Penalty Relegates the FedEx #11 to 12th-Place Result
The new-look #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry crossed the finish line first in Saturday's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway, but Denny Hamlin went 'out of bounds' to pass Ryan Newman coming to the checkered flag, and received a penalty that gave the victory to Kurt Busch.
Hamlin and Newman found each other at the back of the lead-lap pack midway through the second segment of the 75-lap, exhibition race at the 2.5-mile, high-banked superspeedway, and quickly picked off positions on their way to the front. With Newman leading a four-car train that included Hamlin, Busch and Jamie McMurray for the final 10 laps, it was only a matter of time before the nose of the #11 peeked out in search of Victory Lane.
Hamlin made his move coming off turn four on the final lap, ducking low in hopes of winning the drag race to the stripe. Newman did his job of pinching off the gap low, while Busch -- with McMurray in tow -- looked high. Hamlin avoided contact with Newman coming through Daytona's tri-oval, but went 'out of bounds' doing so. The ensuing penalty dropped the #11 from first on the track to the tail end of the lead lap cars and a 12th-place result.
"I just couldn't live with myself if I made contact with Ryan (Newman) and wrecked the guy that just helped me go from the back of the pack all the way to the front," said Hamlin. "Ryan did a good job of holding his position along the yellow line, and when I moved out from behind him, Jamie (McMurray) was able to push Kurt (Busch) to the win. It was a great race for the fans. You can't ask for anything more than a three-wide finish at Daytona."
The final lap wasn't the only action for the #11 FedEx Racing team in a drama-filled final segment. The 50-lap dash included two multi-car incidents that occurred right in front of Hamlin, who narrowly avoided big trouble. Both times, Hamlin navigated through the danger to keep the #11 intact and in the hunt.
A fairly uneventful 25-lap opening segment saw Hamlin move around from his fourth-place starting position, working to the front and shuffling to the back to learn the tricks of the two-car draft with Tony Stewart on Daytona's newly-paved asphalt. Hamlin finished the first segment in 14th of the 24 cars in the field.
The #11 FedEx pit crew, which saw some changes in the off-season, was able to work on its chemistry in race conditions Saturday night. Front-tire changer Mike Hicks and rear-tire changer John Sherman swapped roles to start the 2011 season, and NASCAR's new mandatory self-ventilating fuel can eliminated the need for a catch can position. The over-the-wall team was sharp during pit stops.
Newman wound up second, followed by McMurray, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle.
The #11 FedEx Express car returns to the track Sunday, Feb. 13 for Daytona 500 qualifying, followed by the Gatorade Duels on Thursday, Feb. 17. The Daytona 500 is Sunday, Feb. 20.
