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Denny Hamlin
Hometown: Chesterfield, VA
Residence: Cornelius, NC
Birthdate: November 18, 1980
In 2007, Denny Hamlin returns to the seat of the #20 Rockwell Automation / Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet. Although only racing a partial season, Hamlin looks to continue to his winning ways again this season. With Hamlin’s impressive resume from 2006, it is hard to believe he is only entering his third year of NASCAR competition. After a busy year starting every event in the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, his performance in both series was equally impressive.
In 2006, it did not take Hamlin long to score his first Busch Series win. By March, Hamlin became only the second NASCAR driver to win a points race outside U.S. borders by taking the checkered flag at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City. Hamlin followed that performance two months later with another outstanding victory, this time at NASCAR’s most challenging track, the historic Darlington Raceway. By the end of the season, Hamlin had accumulated 2 wins, 12 top-five finishes and 23 top-ten finishes en route to his fourth-place finish in the NASCAR Busch Series Driver’s Points. Also, Hamlin was awarded the 2006 Busch Pole Award for earning the most Busch Poles of the season (6).
Hamlin’s first season in the Nextel Cup was one for the record books. After winning the first exhibition race of the season, the Budweiser Shootout in Daytona, the season continued to grow. Hamlin continued to show his talent as he won the Pocono 500 at the unique Pocono Raceway on his first visit to the track. Hamlin showed that race was not a fluke, as he returned to Victory Lane six weeks later at the same track. By the end of the season, Hamlin had amassed 3 poles, 2 wins, 8 top-five finishes and 18 top-ten finishes en route to a third-place finish in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Driver’s Points. As a result of his outstanding season, Hamlin also claimed Rookie-of-the-Year honors.
Born in Tampa, FL, Hamlin spent a majority of his childhood in Chesterfield, VA. Making his first start in a go-kart at age 7, Hamlin won his first race and has been winning ever since. He quickly moved through the local tracks of Richmond, VA and conquered the Mini Stocks, Grand Stocks and Late Model Stock Cars before being noticed by Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin currently lives in Cornelius, NC and, when he is not racing, enjoys online gaming, golf and spending time with friends.
