Motor Sports Update
Hamlin has Rough Night at Charlotte
Concord, NC (May 26, 2007) — Following a weekend off, the NASCAR Busch Series returned to action at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. With the win at Darlington Raceway still fresh in their minds, the #20 Rockwell Automation / JGR team unloaded preparing for their summer stretch that would feature 16 races in 16 consecutive weekends.
Hampered with an early draw in qualifying, Denny Hamlin put a quick lap, but as the track cooled cars were able to put faster laps. Securing the 11th starting position, Hamlin was confident he had a car capable of running well. As the green flag dropped, Hamlin went on the move early. By the time the first caution of the day flew on lap 9, Hamlin had moved into the top-ten. After the second caution flag flew, Hamlin followed the leaders to pit road. Reporting that the car was extremely tight, the pit crew made adjustments and returned him on the track in the sixth position. As a long green flag run ensued, the strength of the #20 car started to show. Taking several laps to clear the lapped traffic, Hamlin began his assault on the leaders. Hamlin found a new groove up against the wall and started running the fastest laps on the track. Working his way up to the 4th position by lap 45 and by lap 50, Hamlin was running second and beginning to challenge the race leader.
Running in the 2nd position and using the high line around the track for as much speed as possible, on lap 57 the car skated a little bit and made slight contact with the wall. With the right front fender damaged, Hamlin's lap times slowed a bit. As he began to drop positions, the long green flag run continued. Back to the 14th position, Hamlin was forced to make a green flag stop for tires and fuel. Returning to the track in the 13th position, the car seemed to respond to the changes and Hamlin began to climb up the leaderboard again. Back in 9th position when the caution flag flew for the first time almost 100 laps. Hamlin follows the leaders to pit road for 4 tires, minor repairs and fuel. Climbing up to the sixth position, Hamlin continued to run great lap times. When the field was slowed for another caution 10 laps later, Hamlin followed the leaders to pit road again, this time choosing fuel only. Running in the top 3, Hamlin waited for the caution period on lap 145 for his final stop for tires and fuel. Returning to the field in ninth, Hamlin was able to gain two more positions until he reported that he thinks he has a tire going flat. One half lap later the car gets loose and he makes much heavier contact with the wall. This time heading to pit road for tires and repairs, Hamlin returns to the track several laps down from the leaders. Hamlin would finish the race 34th, three laps down to the leaders.
"We had a really good racecar tonight," commented Hamlin after the race. "I can't describe how much fun it is to drive a car that handled that well and could run laps times as good as we did. I hate that I screwed up early in the race and put the team behind. We just never were able to catch up."
This week the Busch Series will head to the "Monster Mile" at Dover International Speedway. The Dover 200 is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
