With With only 99 points separating Denny Hamlin and Kenny Wallace from the fifth and sixth position, the #20 team unloaded at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a track that Hamlin has never raced on. With rain in the forecast, practice time was limited on Friday. With only about 45 minutes of track time heading into qualifying, Hamlin planned to run a safe lap and work on the car during the race. However during his lap, the #20 car snapped loose and Hamlin made contact with the wall.
 
As the team was forced to unroll the backup car, Hamlin was confident he could have a good race and finish in the top-five in points.  Coming from the 42nd position, Hamlin spent the first couple laps of the race feeling out the car.  During an early caution, Crew Chief Cully Barraclough called for him to pit to make some quick adjustments.  As the race restarted, the adjustments showed that they agreed with the car and Hamlin began to quickly pick off positions.  By lap 15, Hamlin was up to the 30th position and by lap 30; he broke into the top 20.
 
During a caution period on lap 39, Hamlin followed the leaders to pit road.  Reporting the car was tight in the center of the corner, Barraclough called for four tires with a wedge adjustment to help loosen up the machine.  The changes again agreed with the car as Hamlin gained seven positions in the next 10 laps.  Hamlin finally entered the top ten on lap 65 and was running times almost a tenth of a second quicker than the leader.  When the caution flag flew on lap 67, Hamlin again followed the leaders down to pit road.  Still a little tight, the team chose to be a little more aggressive adjustment by changing four tires and removing a right rear spring rubber.  With all the changes, the team was still able to return Hamlin to the track in the 11th position.
 
The #20 car continued to be one of the fastest cars on the track as Hamlin continued to gain positions.  By lap 75, Hamlin dropped underneath the #1 car of Johnny Sauter and gained the fifth position.  Sauter, not one to give a position easily, came charging back on the outside.  On lap 87, Sauter continued to try to pass Hamlin on the high side.  Going into turn 4, Sauter pinched the #20 car down on the bottom, taking air off his spoiler and sending Hamlin spinning into the wall.  The #20 car only received minor damage from the wall but the #6 car made heavy contact with #20 car causing major damage.  Hamlin was forced back to the garage to make extensive repairs.
 
After sixty laps, the car was repaired and returned to the race.  Hamlin finished in the 37th position, 60 laps down from the leader.  That position was good enough to finish the season in fifth place in points.
 
“We had a rocket ship tonight,” commented Hamlin following the race. “I guess I got a little too aggressive with the pass.  I probably should have waited and just passed on the next straightaway.  These cars are so aero sensitive on these mile & half tracks, you really have to be careful how close you race side by side in the corner.  Overall, it has been a good year and finishing in the top five in points has been a team goal all year.”
 
The #20 team will have a busy off season as they prepare for the 2006 race season.  The first event of the year will be on February 18, 2006 at Daytona International Speedway.