After two months of building cars and testing tracks, the NASCAR Busch Series was ready for the 2005 season debut at Daytona International Speedway. With several off season changes, such as a new driver and a new crew chief, the #20 Rockwell Automation / Spectrum ControlsTeam unloaded at the legendary track with aspirations of starting off strong.

Announced in November, newcomer Denny Hamlin was tapped to pilot the #20 car for the entire Busch Season. In addition to competing for the Busch Series Title, Hamlin is also running in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year program. At the helm of the #20 car is crew chief Trip Bruce. Bruce comes over from the #2 Ultra Motorsports Truck where he led the team to three victories last year.

Several new rules have been implemented in the Busch Series for the 2005 season, most significantly the qualifying procedure. Under the new rules, the teams will qualify their cars and then have the cars impounded until it is time for the race to start.

After a successful week that saw the #20 car high on the speed charts and a qualifying position of 11^th , the team knew they had provided a strong car. It did not take Hamlin long to prove it either. As green flag dropped, he quickly began using the draft to pass cars on the inside and outside of the track. Within 20 laps, Hamlin had moved into the top five where he began to just ride around and click off laps. The first caution of the day would fly at lap 25 while Hamlin was running fourth. An ongoing challenge during the week was cars wearing the right front tires out. As a precaution all the leaders pitted to for four new tires and chance to check on the tire wear. As Hamlin approached his pit box, he came in a little hot and slid pass the box. After backing up and receiving his service, Hamlin returned to the race track in the 33^rd position.

Crew Chief Trip Bruce continued to calm Hamlin on the radio and remind him that his car would go back to the front in a hurry. As the race restarted, Hamlin began grabbing positions immediately. As the laps continued to click off, Hamlin worked his way back into the top ten. When the caution flag flew on lap 47, Hamlin followed the leaders to pit road. After coming in perfectly and a stellar stop by the #20 crew, Hamlin began to return to the track. As he began to leave the pit box, the #72 car of Donnie Neuenberger made a hard right trying to get into his pit box located one stall ahead of Hamlin’s. The two cars collided leaving major fender damage on both cars. Hamlin returned to pit road several times to have the damage repair. When the race restarted on lap 53, Hamlin was running in the 38^th position.

Once again, Hamlin brought his car from the back of the field towards the front. Running in the 12^th position on lap 95, Hamlin felt a heavy vibration in the front right of the car. Bruce called for Hamlin to pit immediately for four tires and fuel. Returning to the track in the 38^th position and one lap down to the leaders, Hamlin would use a late caution to get to the tail-end of the lead lap. For a third time, Hamlin would work his way through traffic back towards the front. A couple cautions slowed his progress, but he was running 16^th coming off turn four towards the white flag when the #0 car of Kertus Davis lost control and made contact with the #47 car of Jon Wood then spinning down into Hamlin’s machine. After spinning through the infield, Hamlin would be scored at the race end in the 33^rd position.