9781422270783

BUBBA WALLACE CHASE ELLIOTT DENNY HAMLIN KEVIN HARVICK KYLE BUSCH KYLE LARSON RYAN BLANEY

Stock Car Racing ’ s Best Drivers

Greg Bach

MASON CREST MIAMI

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4740-2 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4737-2 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7078-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Bach, Greg, author. Title: Denny Hamlin / Greg Bach.

Description: Hollywood, FL : Mason Crest, [2024] | Series: Superstars of the speedway. Stock car racing’s best drivers | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023010939 | ISBN 9781422247402 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422247372 (series) | ISBN 9781422270783 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Hamlin, Denny, 1980---Juvenile literature. | Stock car drivers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Automobile racing drivers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC GV1032.H24 B34 2024 | DDC 796.72092 [B]--dc23/eng/20230510 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023010939

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Chapter 1: Greatest Moments --------------------------------- 07 Chapter 2: The Road to the Top ------------------------------- 21 Chapter 3: Victory Lane - -------------------------------------- 33 Chapter 4: Under the Hood ----------------------------------- 49 Chapter 5: Off the Track --------------------------------------- 63 Series Glossary of Key Terms ---------------------------------- 74 Further Reading ------------------------------------------------ 76 Internet Resources --------------------------------------------- 77 Index ----------------------------------------------------------- 78 Author Biography & Credits ---------------------------------- 80 CONTENTS KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more!

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

dicey: risky; difficult; uncertain marquee: superlative; headlining outlandish: extraordinary; far out savored: appreciate; relish; enjoy completely tantalizingly: the sight of something desired but out of reach

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin

Chapter 1

Greatest Moments

DYNAMIC AND DOMINATING For nearly two decades, Denny Hamlin has been one of NASCAR’s most dynamic and dominant drivers, boldly and brilliantly charging down straightaways at breathtaking speeds, bumping and banging in high banked turns, and continually adding to his collection of checkered flags. A frequent Victory Lane visitor—Hamlin’s 48 NASCAR Cup wins rank 17 th all-time—he masterfully and magnificently maneuvers his famous FedEx-emblazoned purple and orange No. 11 Toyota into contention at all tracks, at all distances, and in all racing conditions. Hamlin has won NASCAR’s grandest race, the Daytona 500, on three occasions, including going back-to-back in 2019 and 2020, a feat so outlandish that only three other drivers in the sport’s illustrious history have that on their resumes. He also captured his first Coca-Cola 600 title in 2022, winning a marathon five-plus hour affair at famed Charlotte Motor Speedway while showcasing his unwavering grit and resolve for being the best every time he gets behind the wheel.

7

Greatest Moments

REMARKABLE RUN It was clear from the outset that Hamlin was something special and that greatness simmered within him. During his remarkable rookie season, Hamlin won two races at Pocono Raceway in the jaw-dropping span of 42 days, a double dose of winning that hasn’t been duplicated by a rookie since. He also barged into the Top 5 on eight occasions and into the Top 10 a whopping 20 times during that stunning season on his way to wrapping his hands around the Rookie of the Year award. Hamlin is among a select group of drivers who have nabbed wins in NASCAR’s Top 3 series—Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks—and along with his stack of wins, the numbers he has put up as a Cup driver are mind boggling: he has more than 200 Top 5 finishes and more than 300 Top 10 finishes. The only missing piece on a career radiating greatness is capturing the Cup title, which he has come tantalizingly close to on several occasions. HEADED TO THE HALL Tough and tenacious, Hamlin has raced with a torn ACL and returned from a broken back. A savvy veteran—outspoken and opinionated—he tackles tough topics and advocates for positive changes on and off the track. As a forward-thinking businessman, Hamlin teamed with NBA icon Michael Jordan to create their 23XI Racing Team, headlined by Bubba Wallace, the second African American ever to win a NASCAR race. In his 40s, Hamlin continues to shine by snagging pole positions, winning races, and delighting his legion of fans. A model of consistency and excellence, he will be headed to the NASCAR Hall of Fame one day as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Here’s a look at eight big moments in a dazzling career.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin

GREATEST

MOMENTS

9

Greatest Moments

SUPER AT THE SHOOTOUT Denny Hamlin’s first race at the famed Daytona International Speedway as a NASCAR Cup Series driver was a memorable and historical one. Competing in the Budweiser Shootout a week before the Daytona 500 in 2006—a special race open only to drivers who had claimed a pole position in a Cup race the year before or were a past winner of the Shootout—he nipped Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the finish line, becoming the first rookie to ever win in the race’s 28-year history. It also marked just the fifth time that a driver had won the Shootout in his first appearance. Facing a field of legendary and intimidating drivers with thousands of laps of experience and hundreds of big wins among them, it was the rookie Hamlin who was steady and spectacular under the pressure. Navigating a tricky race filled with bumper bumping, he led 16 of the 70 laps while showcasing that he belonged among racing’s best.

Denny Hamlin won the Budweiser Shootout as a rookie in 2006 at Daytona, beating an elite field of drivers for one of his signature wins early in his career.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin

WINS FIRST DAYTONA 500 . . . Hamlin snuck into the winner’s circle on NASCAR’s biggest day by the smallest of margins at the 2016 Daytona 500 while making history at the same time. Entering the final lap in fourth place, with hopes of taking the checkered flag fading fast, Hamlin moved past Kyle Busch into third place. He then boldly dipped down from the wall on the final turn of the famed 2½-mile oval, squeezing between leader Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr., who was hugging the inside and somehow nosed out Truex at the finish line by .011 seconds, the closest finish in race history. The photo finish revealed Hamlin won by mere inches—and the margin of victory was less time than it takes to blink your eyes! The stunning finish produced Hamlin’s first coveted Daytona 500 title, and it was the first for team owner Joe Gibbs since Dale Jarrett’s win back in 1993.

Denny Hamlin won his first Daytona 500 by edging Martin Truex Jr. in a thrilling photo finish in 2016.

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Greatest Moments

. . . AND PULLS OFF RARE DAYTONA 500 BACK-TO-BACK After fending off last-lap charges by Joey Logano and Kyle Busch to nab the 2019 Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin returned a year later and won what is known as The Great American Race again. He joined an elite—and small—list of legendary drivers ever to pull off the incredibly difficult back-to-back feat. Hamlin’s Daytona double placed his name into the record books with Richard Petty (1973 and 1974), Cale Yarborough (1983 and 1984), and Sterling Marlin (1994 and 1995). The final lap of the 2020 race was dicey and dangerous: Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Ryan Blaney reached the final turn tightly bunched, but Blaney’s bump of Newman set off a scary wreck. It took safety workers more than 10 minutes to extricate Newman from his car after Hamlin had crossed the finish line. Hamlin’s Victory Lane celebration was muted in the aftermath of the wreck as his first comments after his marquee win were focused on sending prayers to Newman.

Denny Hamlin won his third Daytona 500 in an exciting finish in the 2020 race.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin

POCONO PAIR: WINS 2006 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Hamlin has a lot of great memories at many great tracks nationwide— that’s what happens when you accumulate as many wins as he has during his illustrious career—but the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania certainly ranks on his list of favorites. The 2½-mile track was the site of his first NASCAR win at the Pocono 500 in June of 2006, when he outdueled Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne to the checkered flag. He won again six weeks later in the Pennsylvania 500 at that track for his second career win on the way to sealing Rookie of the Year honors. Ever since his double dip into Victory Lane, no rookie has managed to match that win total since. Besides those pair of Pocono wins, he put together a remarkable run of season-long excellence that featured eight Top 5 finishes and 20 Top 10s while being the only rookie to compete in that season’s chase for the championship.

Denny Hamlin won the Pocono 500 in 2006 for his first career NASCAR victory on his way to earning Rookie of the Year honors.

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Greatest Moments

SWEET WIN AT COCA-COLA 600 Through the years, the Charlotte Motor Speedway had been the site of heaping piles of disappointment and despair for Denny Hamlin in his efforts to capture the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s signature events. At 600 miles, it is one of the toughest and most grueling races contested on the schedule. Hamlin had flirted with success in the past, finishing second in 2012 behind Kasey Kahne, collecting a third in 2018, a pair of fourth-place finishes in 2013 and 2016, and 10 Top 10 finishes overall. In 2022, Hamlin finally nabbed a much-wanted win, making the 48 th victory of his career over the Memorial Day weekend an extra special one. The race was a marathon (more than five hours) and chaotic (a whopping 31 lead changes over the 413 laps). After a wild day of racing, it was Hamlin, who had started on the pole, nipping teammate Kyle Busch at the finish by 0.119 seconds for the long-awaited win.

Denny Hamlin won his first Coca-Cola 600 in 2022 by edging his teammate Kyle Busch.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin

DRIVING DEBUT Denny Hamlin’s hard-to-reach dreams of racing in NASCAR, which had accompanied him throughout his childhood and teen years, became a glorious reality in the fall of 2005 when he made his driving debut for Joe Gibbs Racing at the Kansas Speedway. Years of practicing, training, and toiling at tracks around the country—showcasing his sensational skills along the way—paid dividends when the green flag waved, and Hamlin accelerated into the first turn of the Banquet 400. While the race didn’t turn out as he had hoped, Hamlin started seventh and finished well back in the pack in 32nd place as Mark Martin claimed the checkered flag, but it was still a day worth celebrating as his career on racing’s grandest stage was just beginning at the age of 24. There would be a lot of memorable moments in the years to follow, including at the Kansas Speedway’s 1½-mile oval, where Hamlin improved on that debut by winning races there in 2012, 2019, and 2020.

Denny Hamlin made his NASCAR debut at the Kansas Speedway on Oct. 9, 2005, finishing in 32nd place.

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Greatest Moments

SENSATIONAL AT SOUTHERN Denny Hamlin says the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina is his favorite racetrack, and it’s easy to see why. Although it’s considered one of the most challenging tracks on the NASCAR circuit, Hamlin has savored some sweet wins there throughout his career. This includes his 2021 victory in the Cook Out Southern 500, which was the third time he had earned the checkered flag in the race (2010 and 2017 marked his other Victory Lane visits). After enduring a rare but miserable victory drought with no wins to celebrate during the 2021 regular season, winning the first race of the 10-race playoffs at his favorite venue was a big mood booster for Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing Team after being in contention in a bunch of previous races. Hamlin leaned on his past experiences navigating the odd-shaped 1.36-mile track to outduel Kyle Larson in a pressure-filled last lap to earn the win and leave Darlington with a smile on his face once again.

Denny Hamlin won his third Southern 500 at the Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC, in 2021.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Denny Hamlin