MICHIGAN WIN

It was a total team effort for Denny Hamlin and No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota crew today at Michigan International Speedway en route to their first win of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

Hamlin, crew chief Mike Ford, and the entire No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota team displayed the patience and perseverance that is often required to achieve success on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Hamlin qualified his No. 11 Camry in the 10th position to start the race, but the handle on the car was not quite what he had hoped for once the green flag dropped on the first of the day’s 200 laps. With each stop down pit road, Ford and the FedEx crew would make the necessary adjustments to provide Hamlin the balance he needed to move up through the field and back into the top 10. With each passing lap, the FedEx Camry would get stronger and tremendous pit stops by the No. 11 crew would further assist in Hamlin’s approach to the front of the field. Hamlin was racing in the second position when the day’s final caution came out with just nine laps remaining. With track position essential at this two-mile track the FedEx crew needed to deliver on what would be the final time down pit road for the leaders. Deliver they did. The No. 11 team put together an outstanding two-tire stop that bested the other leaders and allowed Hamlin to restart the race first. Hamlin was able to do the rest from there, getting a great jump on second-place Matt Kenseth and his teammate Kyle Busch and then holding off of both over the few remaining laps. It is Hamlin’s first victory of the 2011 season.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads west to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA next Sunday for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Live Coverage on TNT will start at 2 PM ET (race starts at 3 PM ET). The race will also be carried on Sirius Radio NASCAR channel 90.