After the challenges of Dover International Speedway, the team was ready to head to another concrete track where Denny Hamlin recorded his first top-ten finish of the season, Nashville Superspeedway. Visiting a track for the second time, the team was looking forward to unloading Hamlin on track he already had experience on.

With weather conditions a concern for the second weekend in a row, the #20 team was able to complete both practice sessions on Friday before the clouds opened up with rain. The team struggled with the car early looking for the handle, but with 15 minutes to go, the team hit on a combination that put them in the top-ten on the speed chart.

As the garage opened on Saturday, the rains continue to pour as Tropical Storm Arlene worked her way towards Nashville from the Gulf Coast. For the second week in a row, qualifying was canceled and the field was set by owner’s points. The rain took a break around 5:30 and the track was dried. After the driver’s fired engines and began their pace laps, the sky’s opened up again and the race was stopped before it started. After three unsuccessful attempts to dry the track, the race was postponed until Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Under overcast conditions, the race was started on time Sunday. As the race started, Hamlin’s car immediately began to slip and slide all over the green race track. During the first caution on lap 20, Hamlin reported that the car was extremely tight. Crew Chief Cully Barraclough called for Hamlin to make a pit stop to improve the handling of his car. Giving up the ninth position, several competitors remained on the race track so Hamlin returned to the track in the 19 ^th position.

As the green flag flew, Hamlin immediately began working his way to the front. By lap 40, he was in the 13 ^th position and chose to follow the leaders to pit road. Still tight, Barraclough called for fuel only & a quick wedge adjustment returning Hamlin to the track in the 2 ^nd position. Hamlin hung on in the front for as long as he could but the car was now loose and the new tires on the competitors behind him were starting to overtake him.

By lap 80, he had dropped back to the 18^th position and was in need of some new tires. Heading to pit road with the leaders, the #20 crew preformed a fantastic stop, picking up 9 positions on pit road. The next 80 laps saw Hamlin battle as high as 5 ^th and as low as 9^th . On lap 160, Barraclough called for Hamlin to make a green flag stop for fuel and tires. Almost missing pit road entrance, Hamlin got it slowed down and to the box. Returning to the track with some major changes, Hamlin was in the 26 ^th position but picking up spots each lap. When the caution flew on lap 190, Hamlin was running in the 11 ^th position.

As one of seventeen cars on the lead lap, Barraclough called for Hamlin to return to pit road for fresh tires for the end of the race. Restarting in the 11 ^th position Hamlin was immediately on the move. Passing two cars on the first green flag lap and then gaining two more spots by the end of the race, Hamlin finished in the 7 ^th position on the same lap as the leaders. This is Hamlin’s second 7^th place finish which is his career best finish in the Busch Series.