HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 4, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announces today PristineAuction.com will join their sponsorship lineup for 2021. PristineAuction.com will be an associate sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) with Christopher Bell on the No. 20 and will be featured as a primary sponsor for two races with Ty Gibbs at Phoenix Raceway in March for the ARCA Menards Series event and the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) race. (more…)
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 1, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announces today that it has extended agreements with driver Denny Hamlin and long-time sponsor FedEx with a pair of multi-year agreements. (more…)
The last thing Kevin Harvick needed was another bad race at Martinsville.
The last thing he needed was a driver below the cut line coming into Martinsville to win the race.
The last thing he needed was to have every driver he was chasing finish ahead of him. (more…)
Denny Hamlin knew he had a fast car and once he figured that out, he went to the rear of the field and let all the wrecks happen in front of him. And they did, beginning on lap 1.
With weekday races nearly at end, this week we saw Martin Truex, Jr. win at Bristol and Denny Hamlin winning at Homestead. This was the first win of the season for Truex and Hamlin has now notched three wins to lead all drivers. (more…)
Race Info:
Race: Supermarket Heroes 500
Date/Time: Sunday, May 31/3:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 500 laps/266 miles
Track Length: 0.533 miles
Track Shape: Oval
2019 Winner: Kyle Busch
Charlotte Recap: Denny Hamlin finished second in Thursday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the #11 FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota, in the 312-mile event won by Chase Elliott. Hamlin was fifth with less than 30 laps to go, but moved toward the front in the closing laps, crossing the finish line just one spot short of his third victory of the season. Hamlin started 29th and battled in the first two segments trying to gain track position. The FedEx crew kept gaining spots on pit road and Hamlin picked off positions on the track to finish 12th in Stage 2. Once the final segment started, Hamlin was one of the fastest cars on the track. He lined up second alongside then-leader Kevin Harvick for the final restart, but fell back to fifth early in the run. Later in the run, Hamlin was able to work back to second by the time the checkered flag flew. The finish kept Hamlin in eighth in the point standings.
Bristol Preview: The series moves to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Supermarket Heroes 500. This action-packed track has favored Hamlin in the past with two wins, and nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a pole position and victory during the NASCAR Cup Series’ last visit to the half-mile track in August. He will look to secure his third career victory in Thunder Valley this weekend as the Cup Series stages its fifth return-to-racing event in 15 days.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
Races: 28
Wins: 2
Poles: 4
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 14
Laps Led: 697
Avg. Start: 13.6
Avg. Finish: 14.4
Hamlin Conversation – Bristol:
With a victory in your last trip to Bristol, do you have extra confidence heading there this weekend?
“We have confidence in our team at every track. But, yes, we definitely know we can run well at Bristol, and we certainly proved that the last time we were here. Things will be a little different this time with no practice or qualifying, but we still feel like we can get our FedEx Camry to the front.”
How odd will it be racing at this stadium-style track with no crowd noise?
“It will definitely be weird. Bristol is synonymous with noise. But we know NASCAR is doing the right thing with all these safety protocols, and they’re trying to get fans back as soon as it’s safe to do so. I hope all the fans tune in on TV to watch what is sure to be a typically exciting Bristol race.”
FedEx Express – Along For The Ride at Bristol Motor Speedway: FedEx Express is pleased to recognize the team members at the HHHA station in Hilton Head Island, S.C., for their exceptional performance by featuring the letters HHHA on the B-post of the FedEx #11 at the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. HHHA ranks among the top 10 stations in the Southeast Region year-to-date and has been the top-ranking station three separate months since June, most recently in December during the busy Peak season. The dedicated team of employees consistently strive to deliver outstanding service and meet the FedEx on-time delivery commitments efficiently and safely as evidenced by a year-over-year reduction in vehicle accidents and worker injuries.
FedEx Office – Closest to Bristol Motor Speedway: 2116 N. Roan Street, Suite 1A, Johnson City, TN 37601, (423) 283-9503
| 2020 FedEx Racing Team Results | |||||||||
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | START | FINISH | LAPS | STATUS | LED | PTS | TREND |
| Feb. 16 | Daytona 500 | Daytona | 21 | 1 | 209/209 | Running | 79 | 1st | ▬ |
| Feb. 23 | Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube | Las Vegas | 4 | 17 | 267/267 | Running | 0 | 9th | ▼ |
| Mar. 1 | Auto Club 400 | Fontana | 28 | 6 | 200/200 | Running | 0 | 7th | ▲ |
| Mar. 8 | Fan Shield 500 | Phoenix | 3 | 20 | 316/316 | Running | 0 | 11th | ▼ |
| May 17 | The Real Heroes 400 | Darlington | 10 | 5 | 293/293 | Running | 0 | 6th | ▲ |
| May 20 | Toyota 500 | Darlington | 16 | 1 | 208/208 | Running | 12 | 4th | ▲ |
| May 24 | Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte | 13 | 29 | 398/405 | Running | 0 | 8th | ▼ |
| May 28 | Alsco Uniforms 500 | Charlotte | 29 | 2 | 208/208 | Running | 0 | 8th | ▬ |
| Averages/Totals | 15.5 | 10.1 | 99.7% | 91 | |||||
Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Recap: Denny Hamlin’s shot at a Coca-Cola 600 victory was all but eliminated before the green flag even waved Sunday, when the #11 had to return to pit road during the pace laps after losing ballast weights. The blocks of tungsten, which are required for the car to meet minimum weight, fell out of the FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota as the car rolled off pit road at Charlotte Motor Speedway to begin the pace laps. NASCAR ordered Hamlin back to pit road so the team could replace the weight as the rest of the field took the green flag. Hamlin rejoined the field eight laps later. The team tried various pit strategies throughout the 600-mile race to regain ground but never returned to the lead lap. Hamlin was able to climb 11 positions, though, to finish the day in 29th as Brad Keselowski took the win.
Alsco Uniforms 500 Preview: The series returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday night for the Alsco Uniforms 500, the second of two races at the Concord, N.C., oval in NASCAR’s return-to-racing schedule. The Wednesday night race will only be about half the distance of Sunday’s race – just 500 kilometers or 312 miles. Hamlin will seek his first victory in his 29th start at the 1.5-mile track.
FedEx “#SupportSmall” Paint Scheme: The #11 FedEx Toyota will sport a special paint scheme for the Charlotte NASCAR race. The paint scheme pays tribute to small business owners, the real backbone of America, which is represented through the stars on the car. #SupportSmall is also included on the hood to highlight the support FedEx has and will continue to show small businesses during the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that support, FedEx has announced a new grant for small businesses to help them get back to business from COVID-19 impacts, with $1 million available in grant money. Small businesses can head to fedex.com/supportsmallgrants to learn more. FedEx has also teamed up with BigCommerce to help get businesses online and products in customers’ hands, fast. Head to FedEx.com/bigcommerce to find out more.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Races: 28
Wins: 0
Poles: 2
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 17
Laps Led: 377
Avg. Start: 10.9
Avg. Finish: 12.9
Hamlin Conversation – Alsco Uniforms 500:
You didn’t have a great result on Sunday; but, did the team gather information that could help Wednesday?
“For sure. Our FedEx #SupportSmall Toyota was actually pretty fast on Sunday. We tried various adjustments throughout the night and learned how the car reacts in traffic and in various lines around the track. So, we have a good baseline to start with for Wednesday.”
Is your strategy different with a shorter race?
“In some ways, yes. Obviously, you’ve got a shorter distance to accomplish what you need to. Tire and fuel mileage strategy will be different, and we’ll have shorter stages to work within. This one will be more of a sprint than a marathon.”
FedEx Office – Closest to Charlotte Motor Speedway: 7741 Gateway Lane NW, Suite 110, Concord, NC, (704) 979-1971
| 2020 FedEx Racing Team Results | |||||||||
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | START | FINISH | LAPS | STATUS | LED | PTS | TREND |
| Feb. 16 | Daytona 500 | Daytona | 21 | 1 | 209/209 | Running | 79 | 1st | ▬ |
| Feb. 23 | Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube | Las Vegas | 4 | 17 | 267/267 | Running | 0 | 9th | ▼ |
| Mar. 1 | Auto Club 400 | Fontana | 28 | 6 | 200/200 | Running | 0 | 7th | ▲ |
| Mar. 8 | Fan Shield 500 | Phoenix | 3 | 20 | 316/316 | Running | 0 | 11th | ▼ |
| May 17 | The Real Heroes 400 | Darlington | 10 | 5 | 293/293 | Running | 0 | 6th | ▲ |
| May 20 | Toyota 500 | Darlington | 16 | 1 | 208/208 | Running | 12 | 4th | ▲ |
| May 24 | Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte | 13 | 29 | 398/405 | Running | 0 | 8th | ▼ |
| Averages/Totals | 13.6 | 11.3 | 99.6% | 91 | |||||
Race Info:
Race: Charlotte Coca-Cola 600
Date/Time: Sunday, May 24/6 p.m. ET
Distance: 400 laps/600 miles
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Track Shape: Quad-oval
2019 Winner: Martin Truex Jr.
Express Notes:
Darlington Toyota 500 Recap: Denny Hamlin won Wednesday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in the #11 FedEx “Delivering Strength” Toyota, after a late-race call to stay out on older tires with less than 30 laps to go was followed by a wreck and rainfall, cancelling the end of the race. Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gabehart elected to come to pit road to put on new tires – the team’s last set – during a caution on Lap 183, just a handful of laps after pitting under green flag conditions. Hamlin lined up fourth for the ensuing restart, and quickly moved into third. Another caution came seven laps later, and Hamlin elected to stay out having already used all of his fresh tires. The move proved prophetic because Hamlin inherited the lead when the lead lap cars pitted and held the point after the restart. Then, following a wreck and caution on Lap 202, the skies opened up and NASCAR called the race official. Hamlin started 16th based on an inversion of the top-20 finishers from Sunday’s race at the same track, but was bogged down in traffic in the early going. He climbed to eighth at the end of Stage 1, and finished seventh in Stage 2. The race length – only 300 miles – increased the drivers’ sense of urgency to move to the front, but with a host of cautions and a car built for long-run speed, Hamlin could never show his true strength. That changed in the final segment, as Hamlin picked off cars in a march to the front. He got up to second before a green flag stop on Lap 178. The win is the second of the season for Hamlin and the 39th of his NASCAR career. He moved up two spots to fourth in the 2020 NASCAR standings following the victory, now 57 points behind leader Kevin Harvick after six of 26 regular season races.
Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Preview: The series heads home to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday night for the annual 600-mile event on Memorial Day weekend. Hamlin owns nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 27 career races at Charlotte, leading a total of 377 laps. Hamlin looks to this weekend’s race to secure his first victory at the North Carolina track. As part of NASCAR’s “600 Miles of Remembrance” tribute, the #FedEx11 car’s windshield will honor U.S. Army 1SG Russell Bell. The Ohio native, who had been based at North Carolina’s Ft. Bragg, was killed in action in 2012 in Afghanistan.
FedEx “#SupportSmall” Paint Scheme: The #11 FedEx Toyota will sport a special paint scheme for the Charlotte NASCAR race. The paint scheme pays tribute to small business owners, the real backbone of America, which is represented through the stars on the car. #SupportSmall is also included on the hood to highlight the support FedEx has and will continue to show small businesses during the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of that support, FedEx has announced a new grant for small businesses to help them get back to business from COVID-19 impacts, with $1 million available in grant money. Small businesses can head to fedex.com/supportsmallgrants to learn more. FedEx has also teamed up with BigCommerce to help get businesses online and products in customers’ hands, fast. Head to FedEx.com/bigcommerce to find out more.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Races: 27
Wins: 0
Poles: 2
Top-5: 9
Top-10: 17
Laps Led: 377
Avg. Start: 10.9
Avg. Finish: 12.3
Hamlin Conversation – Charlotte Coca-Cola 600:
What is behind the look of your new paint scheme for the Charlotte race?
“We’re happy to have the new #SupportSmall paint scheme for this weekend’s race in Charlotte. The scheme pays tribute to small business owners, the real backbone of America, which is represented through the stars on the car. FedEx knows how valuable small businesses are to our country and economy, so they have been working to ensure they are supported during this difficult time.”
How do you get yourself ready for the longest race of the year, especially when you had a long hiatus out of the car?
“I’ve been driving in this race for years now, and I know what to expect. I’ve also kept in shape while we stayed at home for two months, so I feel like physically I’m ready for it. Our FedEx team will be working hard to prepare, and we’ll be ready to put on a good show for the fans watching at home on this holiday weekend. And, we’re fresh off a Wednesday night victory, so we’ve got momentum on our side.”
FedEx Office – Closest to Charlotte Motor Speedway: 7741 Gateway Lane NW, Suite 110, Concord, NC, (704) 979-1971
| 2020 FedEx Racing Team Results | |||||||||
| DATE | EVENT | LOCATION | START | FINISH | LAPS | STATUS | LED | PTS | TREND |
| Feb. 16 | Daytona 500 | Daytona | 21 | 1 | 209/209 | Running | 79 | 1st | ▬ |
| Feb. 23 | Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube | Las Vegas | 4 | 17 | 267/267 | Running | 0 | 9th | ▼ |
| Mar. 1 | Auto Club 400 | Fontana | 28 | 6 | 200/200 | Running | 0 | 7th | ▲ |
| Mar. 8 | Fan Shield 500 | Phoenix | 3 | 20 | 316/316 | Running | 0 | 11th | ▼ |
| May 17 | The Real Heroes 400 | Darlington | 10 | 5 | 293/293 | Running | 0 | 6th | ▲ |
| May 20 | Toyota 500 | Darlington | 16 | 1 | 208/208 | Running | 12 | 4th | ▲ |
| Averages/Totals | 13.6 | 8.3 | 100% | 91 | |||||
MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 21, 2020 – Ahead of this weekend’s race at Charlotte, FedEx and Denny Hamlin unveiled a brand-new paint scheme that recognizes small business owners across the United States.
The paint scheme features a series of stars along the rear panel, which honors the role small business owners play across the country. #SupportSmall is also included on the hood to highlight FedEx support of small businesses during the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s an honor to unveil this new paint scheme, which acknowledges small businesses, the backbone of America,” said Hamlin. “I am from a small business family, so I know how important they are, not just to local communities, but to the country. To all small business owners out there, thank you for everything you do. I can’t wait to recognize you on the track this weekend.”
FedEx understands how small businesses strengthen the economy, which is why during these trying times, they have committed to providing $1 million in grants. FedEx #SupportSmall Grants will provide small business recipients with $5,000, plus a $500 credit from FedEx Office to use for printing, posters, custom branded boxes, floor decals, and more. Small business owners can visit fedex.com/supportsmallgrants to find out more information about how to apply and eligibility.
FedEx also collaborated with BigCommerce, an open SaaS e-commerce platform, to help small and medium businesses get online fast and affordably. More information about how FedEx and BigCommerce can help your small business is available at FedEx.com/bigcommerce.
Date: May 20, 2020
Event: Darlington 500k
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 228 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/65 laps/83 laps)
Start/Finish: 22nd/31st (Running, completed 206 of 208 laps)
Point Standing: 24th with 88 points, 170 out of first
Note: Race called official 20 laps short of its scheduled 228-lap distance due to rain.
Race Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Clint Bowyer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Clint Bowyer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-60):
● Cole Custer started 22nd and finished 17th.
● Custer climbed to 18th in the opening laps reporting his HaasTooling.com Mustang was a little loose.
● During the lap-25 competition caution Custer pitted his Ford for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help his tight condition. He restarted 17th on lap 31.
● The HaasTooling.com Mustang ended the stage 17th.
● A penalty for an uncontrolled tire during the stage break pit stop sent Custer to the rear of the field for the start of Stage 2.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 61-125):
● Custer started 30th and finished 34th.
● The 22-year-old pitted from 28th for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with his tight-handling Mustang at lap 72.
● Custer moved from 23rd to fifth when he stayed on the track during the lap 83 caution.
● The California native made contact with the outside wall on lap 107, bringing out a caution.
● He pitted twice to repair damage on the right side and change four tires.
● Custer restarted 32nd on lap 112, one lap down and completed the stage 34th, one lap down.
● The HaasTooling.com driver pitted during the Stage 2 break for more repairs to his Mustang.
Final Stage Recap (Laps 126-208):
● Custer started 34th and finished 31st.
● Custer lost a second lap during the long green flag run to open the stage.
● With the caution out on lap 179 he pitted from 33rd for four tires, fuel and adjustments.
● The rookie driver restarted 32nd on lap 186 and was 33rd at the lap 195 caution.
● The final caution was displayed for an accident on lap 201 with Custer in the 33rd spot.
● Rain ended the race on lap 208 – 20 laps short of the schedule distance.
Notes:
● Custer made his ninth career NASCAR Cup Series start and just his second at Darlington.
● This was the first NASCAR Cup Series race to be held on a Wednesday in 36 years. The last time: July 4, 1984 when Richard Petty scored his 200th career victory at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
● Denny Hamlin won the Darlington 500k to score his 39th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his second of the season and his third at Darlington.
● There were 11 caution periods for a total of 54 laps.
● Only 23 of the 39 drivers in the Darlington 500k finished on the lead lap.
● Harvick remains the championship leader after Darlington with a two-point advantage over second-place Joey Logano.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
“We definitely had a lot better to start tonight at Darlington in the HaasTooling.com Mustang. We just had some bad luck and damage which made for a long night. We’ll move on to the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. ”
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 24 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The race starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
