Box Score Info:
RACE: Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300
TRACK: Chicagoland Speedway
DRIVER: Denny Hamlin
CAR: No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry
START: 16th
FINISH: 32nd
LAPS: 165/200
Post-Race Highlights:
- For his only NASCAR Nationwide Series race of the 2014 season, Denny Hamlin started the Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast 300 from the 16th position in the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry.
- With the race underway, Hamlin began making his way to the front of the field and moved into the top 10 on lap 19, reporting to the Sport Clip s team that his Camry was tight through the center and off the corners.
- NASCAR displayed a competition caution on lap 25, slowing the field for the first time. Hamlin pitted from the 10th position for four tires, fuel and an adjustment. The race restarted on lap 31 with the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry team in the 10th position.
- Hamlin was scored in the fifth position when the caution flag again waved on lap 63. The team called Hamlin to pit road for a four tire and fuel stop with another round of adjustments. When Hamlin got to pit road, the team had issues changing the front tires and after an extended stay on pit road, Hamlin returned to the track only to be called back to pit road with concern that his wheels were not tight. After making the second stop, Hamlin restarted the race on lap 70 in the 22nd spot.
- With a fast Toyota Camry, Hamlin again started picking his way through the field to take over the 12th position on lap 80. Unfortunately, on the same lap, Hamlin radioed the team that he had concerns that he was losing his motor. The team prepared for Hamlin to pit, but he decided to stay on track and continue monitoring the issue.
- Running lap times comparable to the leaders, Hamlin was able to overcome a pit road speeding penalty from his lap 136 stop and was running in the seventh position when the motor finally gave out and forced the No. 20 team to retire to the garage on lap 165. Hamlin finished the race in the 32nd position.
- Kevin Harvick won the race followed by Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney and Trevor Bayne.
Denny Hamlin’s Post-Race Thoughts:
What happened to take you out of the race?
“It started blowing up. I think we went to seven cylinders or something like that about 80 laps ago. Every time we got to the front — we had a pit road problem and then pit road penalty — and that took our chances away. But, we weren’t going to finish anyway –we were smoking for 80 laps. I’m proud of this whole Sport Clips Toyota team. I want to thank them for giving me a ride in the Nationwide Series. It was fun while it lasted. I actually thought we had a pretty good car there. We were running pretty good the last time and we were making it back through the field multiple times and obviously there was oil leaking out of the tank here and eventually I knew it was going to run out.”
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