Denny Hamlin
FEDEX RACING EXPRESS FACTS
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

RACE INFO:
Event: Aaron’s 499
Date/Time: April 29, 2007 / 2 p.m. ET
Length: 2.66 mile
Shape: Tri-Oval Superspeedway
Banking: 33 degrees
Distance: 188 laps/500 miles
2006 winner: Jimmie Johnson
2006 polesitter: Elliott Sadler

EXPRESS NOTES:
Pit Road Penalty Snags Shot at Phoenix Win from Hamlin: Once again Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team had the Car of Tomorrow to beat, and for the third time in as many races they left the track frustrated. Starting third on Saturday night at PIR, Hamlin pushed the #11 out front to lead 70 laps and looked ready to run away with the race before a pit road speeding penalty sent him to the back of the field. Not to be denied, Hamlin carved his way back to the leaders, but couldn’t catch teammate Tony Stewart or eventual winner Jeff Gordon. He settled for third place on the night, and remains in fifth place in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings through eight races.

Hamlin to Kick off 2007 “Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet” Program in Richmond: Hamlin and FedEx will once again be taking their love of racing to Children’s Hospitals across the country while giving young patients and Make-A-Wish program participants the opportunity to design Hamlin’s race helmet on eleven occasions. Hamlin kicks off the program this week in his hometown of Richmond where he will visit Children’s Hospital of Richmond, deliver a donation of $25,000 on behalf of FedEx and be presented with the helmet he will wear next weekend at Richmond International Raceway. At the end of the season all eleven race-worn helmets will be auctioned off to benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp. (For more information or images from the event, please contact Jon Mason)

“This will be the third year of this FedEx helmet program and it means a lot to me to be involved and to share my love of racing with these kids” said Hamlin. “To be able to visit the kids at the hospital, have some fun and then wear the helmet they designed for me is a great way to let them know we are thinking about them on race day, and we’ll do everything we can to bring home a win for them. Wearing the helmets motivates me as a driver and I know the whole #11 team and all the employees at FedEx take a lot of pride in showing these kids just how much they mean to us. On top of that, the helmets are cool. The kids put a lot of effort into their designs and they are a tribute to what they are going through and about the hospitals that take great care of them.”

Hamlin at Talladega Superspeedway: This will be Hamlin’s third start at Talladega Superspeedway in a Nextel Cup car. Hamlin had a very strong car during the 2006 Chase for the Nextel Cup but was twice caught up in wrecks that required repairs. Despite the repeated trips to pit road, he finished 21st. In his first Talladega Cup start Hamlin started 30th and worked his way into the top ten before a harsh penalty late in the race sent him a lap down and relegated him to a 22nd place finish.

Talladega Superspeedway Chassis JGR 90 and JGR 81: The #11 FedEx team will head to Talladega with the same cars on the transporter that left Daytona in February. Chassis 90 ran the 500, qualifying ninth and running as high as second place before fender damage relegated Hamlin to the back of the field and a 28th-place finish. This car also ran the 2006 Daytona 500 and fall race at Talladega, recording finishes of 30th and 21st, respectively. Chassis 81 won the Bud Shootout in 2006 and finished 17th in the 2007 edition.

QUOTES:
Hamlin on Talladega Superspeedway: “We’re looking to turn around our fortunes at Talladega, it hasn’t been a great track for me or the #11 team but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great track for us. We feel like we have really good equipment, we were happy with the cars at Daytona, and I know I am getting more comfortable on the superspeedways so hopefully it will all come together for us.

“Superspeedway racing is definitely an area I want to improve in, it’s just a huge departure from the racing I grew up on and because of that the learning curve has been pretty steep for me. It’s getting better each time out but just when I am feeling comfortable and making good decisions out there, it seems something happens on track that hurts us. So, I will approach this weekend like I have every other superspeedway race - take what the track gives me and not try to force the issue or make mistakes that cost us a good finish.”