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PRESS RELEASE
Denny Hamlin Goody's Cool Orange 500 NSCS Race Preview
Weber Shandwick For FedEx Racing, Press Release
RACE INFO:
Event: Goody's Cool Orange 500
Date/Time: March 30, 2008/2:30 p.m. EST
Length: .526 miles
Shape: Oval
Banking: 12 degrees
Distance: 500 laps/263 miles\
2007 winner: Jimmie Johnson
2007 polesitter: Denny Hamlin
EXPRESS NOTES:
Deja vu at Bristol as fuel pick up trouble strikes again: In a cruel repeat of circumstances that plagued the team in 2007, another promising race was derailed by fuel pick up problems two weeks ago at Bristol. Hamlin led his first of 98 total laps on lap 190 and remained at the front of the pack until lap 283 when the #11 FedEx machine suffered minor damage. After making two pit stops to repair damage to the right rear of his Toyota Camry, Hamlin worked his way back to the top spot on lap 497 before an incident between Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick turned the final laps of the race into a green-white-checkered affair. On the restart a fuel pickup problem slowed Hamlin as he took the flag and dove into turn one, and it was all he could do to bring the #11 home in sixth spot. Hamlin sits in 15th place heading to Martinsville this weekend.
New FedEx ad to speed up "slow things" auction: This weekend, FedEx will unveil the latest effort from the popular series of television commercials that has supported the company's sponsorship of the #11 car. In the new "Garage Sale" ad, driver Denny Hamlin holds a garage sale to sell off the things that slow him down. In fact, he's so serious about it he's teamed up with FedEx to hold an online auction of everyday items that just aren't fast enough for Denny and the #11 team. Each week for the rest of the season Denny will list an autographed item on eBay, including the actual race car from Daytona that is prominently featured in the ad, with all of the proceeds going to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. A signed 1:24 scale die cast model of the #11 FedEx Camry is included with every listing. To date the auction has raised over $700 by auctioning such slow items as a stop sign, push lawnmower and caution flag. On sale now? Spa Slippers. Next week? A slow cooker. For more information on the program and links to the auction items, please visit fedexracing.com/slowthings.
Hamlin at Martinsville: This weekend will mark Hamlins sixth career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville Speedway. Last year Hamlin sat on the pole for the spring race and led 125 laps before taking third place. In his previous five starts Hamlin has only finished out of the top-10 once, a 41st place finish in the spring event in 2006. Hamlins short track performance has been a benchmark in his still short but consistent Sprint Cup career and that is especially true at Martinsville, a place where Hamlin has raced both Late Models and had last lap shootouts with a Nextel Cup championship on the line.
Martinsville Chassis 166 & 162: Martinsville will be the first race of the 2008 season for chassis #166. In 2007, this car scored top-five finishes at Darlington (2nd - 5/07) and Dover (4th - 6/07) and qualified third at Dover in the fall before a wreck forced Hamlin to the garage and out of the race. JGR 162 will serve as the back up this weekend. 162 started three races in 2007, winning at New Hampshire in June and capturing the pole at the Martinsville Spring race.
HAMLIN CONVERSATION - MARTINSVILLE:
Despite some early-season setbacks, you are still in 15th place and the next three tracks (Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix) the series visits have been good for the #11 team. How important is this three race stretch to the team and the season?: "They are all important now. Considering the bad luck that we've had so far this season, we could be in much worse shape but we've salvaged some good finishes through a lot of hard work and perseverance. It's been tough because we know that we bring really competitive equipment to the track so we have high expectations. So now we'll focus on finishing races the way we are capable of and that should put us in a better position in the points as well. But, there's a lot of racing left and we're still confident."
You've come close at Martinsville but haven't won yet. What does it take to win at the "'clip"? "You need to be really consistent and do whatever you can to conserve your equipment because it's a long race and you are always in traffic. I would like nothing better than to win at Martinsville in front of the Virginia fans. Just like at Bristol, we've been in position to win at Martinsville but just haven't finished the deal and it just highlights how hard it is to win races in this series. To win a race at this level everything has to come together, a great car, fast stops with no problems and some luck too."
FEDEX RACING 2008 TEAM ROSTER:
Crew Chief: Mike Ford Morristown, Tenn.
Car Chief: Chris Spider Gillin Smithtown, NY
Shock Specialist: Tim Sparkman St. Louis, Mo.
Engineer: Mike Wheeler Southholt, NY
Tire Specialist: Patrick Mullen Brick, N.J.
Motor Specialist: Roger Purcell Latham, Ill
Mechanic: Shawn Warren Concord, N.C.
Mechanic: John Furino Long Island, NY
Spotter: Curtis Markham Fredericksburg, Va.
Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess Lancaster, Pa.
Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel Blythe, Calif.
Jackman: Chris Anderson Brooksville, Fla.**
Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram Statesville, N.C.**
Front Tire Changer: Mike Hicks Salisbury, N.C.**
Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry Belmont, N.C.
Rear Tire Changer: Jonathan Sherman Monroe, La.
Windshield: Bobby Spike Christenson Spokane, Wash.
Gas can: Scott Wood Liberty, S.C.
Catch Can: John Eicher London, Ky.
Pit Crew Coordinator: Paul Alepa Vienna, Va.
Athletic Director: Mike Lepp - Charlotte, N.C.
**New team members for the 2008 season
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