New Hampshire Post Race Report
FedEx Team Falls Short on Fuel at New Hampshire
Denny Hamlin ran out of fuel while running sixth with three laps remaining in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, finishing 29th in Round 2 of the 2011 Chase won by Tony Stewart.
Hamlin made his final stop of the day on Lap 237 (of 300), hoping to conserve enough gas to make it to the checkered flag. The strategy moved the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota into the top-10 and on the brink of the top-five as the laps clicked, but Hamlin slowed on the backstretch just three laps shy of the finish line and coasted to pit road for a splash of fuel.
"We thought we were good (on fuel), but we just came up short," said Hamlin. "The only thing I can think of is we were on a little bit of a cleaner race track that last run, but that was the worst fuel mileage we got all day and I was backing my corner up quite a bit. There's only two things, either we weren't getting the fuel mileage we thought or we didn't get it full or I just used too much."
Hamlin started 28th but was one of the fastest cars on the track early in the race, passing eight competitors in the first two runs to move into the top-20. A two-tire stop mid-race moved the #11 Toyota into the top-15, and crew chief Mike Ford kept Hamlin on the track during the race's last caution period to break into the top-10 for the final 150 laps.
The finish keeps Hamlin 12th in the Chase standings following New Hampshire, now 66 points behind leader Stewart after two of 10 playoff races.
The Sprint Cup Series returns to action at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Oct. 2.
