Hamlin Recovers from Late Accident to Finish Top 15

With the NASCAR Nextel Cup rapidly approaching their cutoff for the final 10 ten races, the Busch Series event this weekend saw an influx of Cup Drivers. With 19 drivers who would start Sunday’s event, the #20 team knew they were going to have to be on top of their game to be competitive.
 
Friday was spent getting a handle on the #20 car as Hamlin struggled with the unique mile & half track. After several adjustments, the highest the car made it on the speed chart was 20 ^th . Rolling out in the middle of the pack for qualifying, Hamlin put up a lap of 29.737 which put him 18 ^th on the board.
 
“This car handled really well during our lap,” commented Hamlin following his run. “I kind of overdrove my second lap which should have been faster. I looked at the board and I was 18 ^th which was disappointing, but 15 of the cars in front of me have drivers that are starting the Nextel Cup Race on Sunday.”
 
By the time the green flag was ready to fly for the start of the USG Durock 300, temperatures soared into the 90’s. As Hamlin began to work his way to the front, his machine began to tighten up especially in the center of the corner. When the first caution flag of day flew on lap 30, Hamlin followed the leaders to pit road for tires and some major adjustments.
 
After a good stop, 10 laps into the run the car began to tighten up again. Hamlin reported to Barraclough that the car was better, but still too tight to be competitive. The next 80 laps were spent running around 15 ^th as Hamlin struggled with his car. After the caution on lap 72, the field settled in for a long green flag stop. With cars on different pit cycles, green flag stops began as early as lap 112 and continued until lap 154 when the caution flag flew for a single car incident involving Jeremy Mayfield.
 
As the field was frozen, Hamlin was running in the 16^th position, the last car on the lead lap. Hamlin returned to pit road for some major changes which included track bar, air pressure and adding a spring rubber. When Hamlin restarted, for the first time all weekend the car was loose. Hamlin continued to fight for each position, but by the end of the race, he was only up to the 15 ^th position. With this finish, Hamlin remains in the sixth position in the NASCAR Busch Series Driver’s Points Standings.
 
“It was a tough day out there,” said an exhausted Hamlin following the race. “The competition was tough and we just never seemed to get the car dialed in. We were tight everywhere on the race track. It seemed each time we made an adjustment we would get a little better, but just not perfect. These mile & half tracks are tough and I am still learning on them each week. Next week we return to a flat track, so I am really looking forward to that.”