Denny Hamlin

James Dennis "Denny" Hamlin, Jr. (born November 18, 1980) is a race car driver currently contracted to Joe Gibbs Racing. He was born in Chesterfield, Virginia, and currently lives in Davidson, North Carolina with his long time girlfriend Kristin Buntain. Kristin and Denny have been dating since high school.

Denny Hamlin's #11 FedEx Chevy being inspected at the November 12, 2006 Checker Auto 500

During the 2004 season, Hamlin caught the eye of Joe Gibbs Racing with a handful of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) races while competing full time in Late Models for Dean Motorsports. Hamlin made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Darlington Speedway, dubbed "The Track too Tough to Tame". After starting 27th because of a rained out qualifying session, Hamlin patiently and methodically worked his way towards an 8th place finish, as well as a future at Joe Gibbs Racing. In 2005, Hamlin replaced Mike Bliss in the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet. He ended up finishing 5th in the final points standings as a rookie in the series.

In 2006, Hamlin ran his first full season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. He made his Cup debut at Kansas Speedway in 2005 after struggling driver Jason Leffler was released after a dismal first half of the season. He finished the Cup season with three Top 10 finishes in seven starts and one pole at Phoenix International Raceway before being named driver of the #11 FedEx Chevrolet for the 2006 season. Hamlin drove in two series in 2006: winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year and finishing 3rd in the NEXTEL Cup, while also driving the full season for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Busch Series.

In Hamlin's first restrictor plate race as a NEXTEL Cup driver, he scored the huge upset by beating all 2005 pole winners in the 70-lap 2006 Budweiser Shootout. Hamlin became the first ever Rookie of the Year candidate to take home the Shootout victory.

Career history

2007

• 3rd place finish at Martinsville.
• 14th place finish at Bristol.
• 19th place finish at Atlanta.
• 3rd place finish at Las Vegas.
• 11th place finish at California.
• 28th place finish at Daytona.

2006

• Won three poles (Pocono 500, Pennsylvania 500, and Chevy Rock and Roll 400).
• Became the first ever rookie to make the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. He finished third.
• Hamlin won the 2006 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year Award in the #11 Fed Ex Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet.
• On February 11, Hamlin started off the season on a high note, winning the prestigious Budweiser Shootout with the assistance of his teammate and mentor, Tony Stewart.
• Scored his first career Busch Series victory at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (March 5).
• Scored his first career Nextel Cup Series win on June 11, 2006 in the Pocono 500, where he also won his second career pole.
• Scored his second career win on July 23, 2006, in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway becoming only the 2nd rookie in NASCAR Nextel Cup history to sweep both races at a track during the same season, both from the pole position.

2005

• In the NASCAR Busch Series, Hamlin ran the entire season, finishing 5th in championship points. He had one top 5 finish, 11 top 10's and earned $1,064,110.00.
• Late in 2005, Hamlin was tapped to replace driver of the Nextel Cup #11 Fed Ex Chevy, Jason Leffler. Making seven starts, Hamlin drove his way to three top tens, and winning one Budweiser pole.

2004

Driving for Dean Motorsports in LMSC Competition in car #99, Competing in NCTS in #03 EJP Racing Chevrolet Truck

• By July had 10 wins in LMSC Competition
• Won races at four different tracks (South Boston, Hickory, Greenville Pickens, & Southampton Motor Speedway)
• Broke Qualifying Track Record Greenville Pickens
• Competed in First ever NCTS Event at O'Reilly Raceway Park, August 6, 2004
• Qualified 7th and finished 10th at ORP
• Scheduled to run Richmond International Raceway, California, Las Vegas and New Hampshire NCTS Events with EJP Racing
• Competed in first ever NASCAR Busch Series event at Darlington Raceway November 13, 2004, Bi-Lo 200.
• Started 27th (Quals Rained Out), Finished 8th in #18 Joe Gibbs Performance Racing Oil Chevrolet Monte Carlo

2003

Drove for Team Owner Jim Dean in car #99

• Finished Season with 25 Wins, 30 Poles and 33 Top 5's
• Won races at five different tracks (South Boston, Hickory, Southampton, Southern National and Coastal Plains)
• Won Southern National Speedway Track Championship
• Only Driver in Southampton Motor Speedway History to win four consecutive 200 lap races
• Won pole for Martinsville Speedway's "Taco Bell 300"
• Had sixth highest NASCAR CPI rating in Nation

2002

Finished Season with 10 Wins, 15 Poles and 5 Top 10's at Southampton Motor Speedway and Southern National Speedway

• Opened season with a Pole on his first effort at Southampton
• Won Poles at Myrtle Beach and Southampton Fall races
• Finished Second in Myrtle Beach "Sleep Inn 250"
• Finished seventh at Matinsville "Taco Bell 300"

2001

Second Season in NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Stock Cars

• Had a very successful run at Southampton Motor Speedway with five Top 5 finishes.
• Debuted a new car and drove to 2 consecutive Top 5 finishes at Southampton and Southside Speedway.
• Finished 12th at Martinsville, TACO BELL 300.
• Finished 9th at Myrtle Beach fall race.
• Lead most laps of the Southern National Speedway Invitational race.
• Preparing for the 2002 season.

2000

Rookie for the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Stock Car Division

• Won Rookie of the Year at Southside Speedway in Richmond, VA.
• Finished Top 5 in final point standings at Southside Speedway with 18 top 10 and 11 top 5 runs.
• Finished 15th at Martinsville , TACO BELL 300.

1999

Second Season in NASCAR Grand Stock Division

• Second in track point standings at Southside Speedway
• Out of 25 Races, earned 5 Feature Wins, 17 Top-Fives and 21 Top Tens
• Won award for Most Popular Driver in Division

1998

First Season in NASCAR Grand Stock Division

• Competed at Three Virginia Tracks
• Out of 25 Races, earned 3 Top Five's and 17 Top Tens

1997

First Season Driving a Stock Car, Age 16, Mini Stock

• 1997 NASCAR Mini Stock Rookie of the Year at Southside and Langley Speedways
• Youngest driver to win NASCAR Mini Stock track championship at Langley Speedway

Langley Speedway Track Champion, NASCAR Mini Stock

• Holds NASCAR Mini Stock track Record at 18.025
• Out of 24 Races, earned 7 Poles, 6 Feature Wins and 21 Top Five's

Southside Speedway Track Champion, NASCAR Limited Dash

• Out of 10 Races, earned 4 Poles, 5 Feature Wins and 10 Top Five's

1995

Competed in 3 classes

• Junior Champ

- Virginia Dirt Karting Association, State Champion - World Karting Association Virginia Dirt Series, State Champion

• Junior Stock

- Virginia Dirt Karting Association, 3rd in points - World Karting Association Briggs and Stratton/Burris Dirt Nationals, 4th in nation

• Junior Restricted

- Virginia Dirt Karting Association, 4th in points

1994

Junior Restricted

• Amelia Motor Raceway, Track Champion

Junior Stock

• Amelia Motor Raceway, Track Champion

1993

Junior Restricted

• Amelia Motor Raceway, 5th in points

1992

Junior Sportsman

• Southside Speedway, Track Champion

1988-1991

Junior Sportsman

• Won FIRST race run at age 7

Injury

• While on a break while testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Hamlin and several crew members were racing around the trailer and timing themselves. During the horseplay, Hamlin severely injured his hand. Hamlin had to get nineteen stitches, yet still finished second at the Crown Royal 400 to Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Trivia

• Hamlin is a native of Chesterfield, Virginia.
• Hamlin is a fan of the Washington Redskins, the NFL team for which his car owner Joe Gibbs is head coach.
• The first race car Denny Hamlin ever sat in was a purple and white number 11 at Langley Speedway and Denny Hamlin made his Nextel Cup debut in the same number.
• Hamlin claims if one goes into his bedroom at his parent's house it feels like it is 1995, all of the memorabilia is still there. Vorlage:Fact
• Hamlin was a big Bill Elliott fan growing up. He still has Elliott memorabilia, including from when he met Elliot while growing up.Vorlage:Fact
• Hamlin claims before he started racing, he was a casual fan (under 7 years old) sitting in the grandstands at the races at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway and that is how he got the want to race.Vorlage:Fact
• Hamlin became the second driver in NASCAR Nextel Cup history to win both races at the same track in a rookie season. The other being 2002 Rookie Jimmie Johnson who won at Dover International Speedway.
• Denny's real name is: James Dennis Alan Hamlin Jr.
• Denny just bought a new house next to Gibbs Racing and Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs.Vorlage:Fact

External links

• Denny Hamlin's official website
• Driver's statistics at racing-reference.info
• The Inside Groove - Denny Hamlin - Stats, Images, Links & more