Hamlin, FedEx Stumble Out West – Finish 37th at Auto Club


It was a day that started with much hope and promise, with Denny Hamlin in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota starting from the pole and leading the first ten laps at Auto Club Speedway, but ended agonizingly early when Hamlin – leading on a lap 190 restart – clipped the left rear of his car on Juan Pablo Montoya’s car and spun into the end of the infield pit wall.  The wreck ended Hamlin’s day and put a severe dent in his 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship aspirations.


After parking the car for the afternoon, Hamlin took blame for the accident that ended what had been a very good run for the FedEx Ground team.


“I made a rookie mistake,” said Hamlin. “I thought I was clear and misjudged it.  I’ve got to apologize to the team. They deserve better than that. They got me out front. It was a bad mistake.”


Hamlin who entered the afternoon sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points race – just 99 points behind the leader, ended the afternoon ninth in points, 219 markers behind new point leader and Sunday’s Pepsi 500 winner Jimmie Johnson.  Hamlin’s 37th place finish earned him just 57 points toward the title.


The race started under cloudy cool conditions and kicked off in perfect fashion for Hamlin, who led the first lap on his way to leading the first ten circuits around the 2.0 mile oval.  After the first ten laps Hamlin began to fight a “loose” car and slowly fell back into the field – first being passed by Johnson, then Montoya and Kevin Harvick.


Mike Ford and the FedEx Ground crew brought Hamlin in on lap 40 for four tires, fuel, a track bar and wedge adjustment and got him back onto the track in fifth place after his first stop of the day.  The car remained steady through the run and when the yellow flew on lap 61 the team again tweaked the FedEx Ground Toyota and turned in a very quick stop getting Hamlin out in third.  From that position he would get a fantastic restart and take over the lead on lap 65.


100 laps into the 250 event the running order showed Hamlin in third place behind only Montoya and Johnson.  Hamlin was racing comfortably in third place and running lap times equal to the leaders.  He informed the crew that his car wasn’t perfect but Hamlin knew the FedEx team would continue to turn quick stops and make effective changes.


Debris brought out the yellow flag on lap 118 and the following lap Hamlin entered the pits in third place behind Johnson and Montoya.  The FedEx crew nailed the stop and with the help of being in the pit box closest to pit exit, the crew changed four tires, added fuel and made a wedge adjustment and had Hamlin out of the pits first.  Hamlin would lead the field to the green and hold for the next five laps under green.


At the halfway mark, 250 miles into the 500-mile event, Hamlin trailed only Johnson and looked poised for a very productive points afternoon in the Chase.  Johnson stretched his lead and Hamlin drove within himself, always remaining in the top three or four positions on the track.


When the yellow flew for debris again on lap 186 flawless pit work got Hamlin out of the pits first for the restart.  Unfortunately, the ensuing restart on lap 190 would put an end to Hamlin’s day.


Hamlin restarted from the outside of the front row when the green flew and almost immediately drew slightly ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya.  Heading into the first turn Hamlin , sensing the charge from the pair of Montoya and Johnson, moved down the bottom lane before his Toyota cleared Montoya completely.  When he did, his left rear made contact with Montoya’s right front sending Hamlin spinning down into the infield and ultimately making contact with the inside pit wall, near the pit exit where the nose of his car suffered sever damage sending Hamlin to the garage for repairs.


The FedEx Ground crew tried valiantly to repair the car as the laps ticked off while the other cars raced under green.  After major repairs and many laps lost Hamlin returned to the track on lap 214 but was unable to maintain the NASCAR minimum speed and had to call it a day after lap 220.


“We made contact with the nose of the 42 (Montoya) and ended up taking ourselves out, said Hamlin.”  It was just a dumb mistake.  We’d just gotten the lead on pit road.  Not a smart move.”


Johnson ended the afternoon the winner on the track and in the battle for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship leaving Auto Club Speedway with a trophy and a 12 point lead over mark Martin.  Montoya with his fourth straight top five finish is third in points followed by Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon.  Hamlin, dropped three positions to ninth with 219 points separating himself from Johnson.