Basha's Supermarkets 200 - Denny Hamlin Notes

DENNY HAMLIN
No. 20 Rockwell Automation CHEVROLET
PHOENIX (Spring) Quotes and Notes

EVENT: BASHAS’ SUPERMARKETS 200 DATE: APRIL 21, 2006
TRACK: PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY TV: FX 9:00 PM ET
LAPS/MILES: 200 / 200 RADIO: MRN 9:00 PM ET

QUOTES

Driver Denny Hamlin on this weekend’s event at Phoenix…
“I can’t wait to unload at Phoenix this weekend. It is a great track that really caters to my racing style. My strength has always been on flat tracks. But Phoenix is so much more than a flat track; it is a driver’s track. The two unique corners challenge the drivers on each lap. You know your car isn’t going to be perfect, so you have to give up something in one corner or the other. Plus getting back to racing under the lights on Friday night; it reminds me a lot of my Late Model days.”

Crew Chief Dave Rogers on PIR…
“How can I not look forward to racing at Phoenix with someone that gets around this place as good as Denny? Last year, when I was working in the Cup shop, Denny & I came out here and tested for the Cup Race. We found a decent setup that he won the pole with for the Cup Race in November. We have been working hard on our flat track program and this will be the first chance we will have to see what progress we have made.”

NOTES

Two Pole Awards …It took Denny Hamlin 43 races to earn his first pole position at Texas Motor Speedway (April 06) and then one weekend later, he added his second Busch Pole Award of his career. He becomes the first Busch Series Driver since Carl Edwards (Dover, Nashville, Ky – June 2005) to win the pole in two consecutive weekends.

Phoenix History … PIR was one of Hamlin’s most successful tracks last season. In the April Busch Series event, he drove from his sixth place starting position to the front of the field where he led 14 laps until a flat tire forced him to pit road. He would rally and finish 11 th . In the fall Busch Race, Hamlin scored a front row starting spot (2nd ) and quickly drove to the point where he led 38 laps. As the race continued, Hamlin struggled with a tight car but still was able to come home in the 9 th position. In the November Cup race, Hamlin stunned the field by sitting on the pole. He would lead the first 21 laps until settling into the field. He would finish 13 th in his first Cup start at the track. Hamlin also finished all three races on the lead lap.

Car History Car History … This week the #20 team is bringing car #2045. This will be the first race of the 2006 season for this car although it tested at Richmond International Raceway two weeks ago. During the three years this chassis has been with the #20 team, it has seen some success. In 2004, Mike Bliss drove this car to the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a 3 rd place finish at Darlington Raceway in November of that year. In 2005, Hamlin drove this car to his first top-ten finish of the season at Nashville Superspeedway (April).