Fast Times
A NASCAR BLOG BY Kris Johnson
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Tough start for Hamlin
Mar
13
Sprint Cup Series points leader Kyle Busch is all the rage.
You don’t have to look far or listen hard to know Tony Stewart has made his presence felt – on and off the track – early in the season.
But where has the other member of Joe Gibbs Racing’s illustrious driver lineup been lately?
Denny Hamlin, uncharacteristically, has been mired midpack. His 20.5 average finish through four races has him 19th in points.
After making the Chase last year, Hamlin stumbled a bit down the stretch. He finished 12th in the standings on the heels of seven double-digit finishes during the 10-race playoff segment. A third-place finish in last year’s season finale at Homestead offered the possibility of taking at least some momentum into 2008.
So far, anyway, it has been derailed.
Hamlin’s lone top-10 finish came at Las Vegas, where he finished ninth. Then, most recently, there was a ho-hum, 15th-place run at Atlanta. Now, Bristol beckons and the memory of last year’s engine-addled, 43rd-place finish there in the night race lingers.
It’s far too early for Hamlin and his No. 11 JGR teammates to panic, but they can ill afford another sour engine or potential early wreck this time around at Bristol.
Now is the time for Hamlin, 2006 Cup rookie of the year, to start making some more headlines of his own.
You don’t have to look far or listen hard to know Tony Stewart has made his presence felt – on and off the track – early in the season.
But where has the other member of Joe Gibbs Racing’s illustrious driver lineup been lately?
Denny Hamlin, uncharacteristically, has been mired midpack. His 20.5 average finish through four races has him 19th in points.
After making the Chase last year, Hamlin stumbled a bit down the stretch. He finished 12th in the standings on the heels of seven double-digit finishes during the 10-race playoff segment. A third-place finish in last year’s season finale at Homestead offered the possibility of taking at least some momentum into 2008.
So far, anyway, it has been derailed.
Hamlin’s lone top-10 finish came at Las Vegas, where he finished ninth. Then, most recently, there was a ho-hum, 15th-place run at Atlanta. Now, Bristol beckons and the memory of last year’s engine-addled, 43rd-place finish there in the night race lingers.
It’s far too early for Hamlin and his No. 11 JGR teammates to panic, but they can ill afford another sour engine or potential early wreck this time around at Bristol.
Now is the time for Hamlin, 2006 Cup rookie of the year, to start making some more headlines of his own.
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Comments
1 response to "Tough start for Hamlin"
jim blazek said:
Mar 14, 2008 at 8:44 AMi wish he was still in a chevy
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