Winn Dixie 250 Victory

Every time the Nationwide Series rolls into Daytona, the drama is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. With the high banks, the draft and the indelicate mix of great skill and rookie experience, you never know what can happen.It's not IF but WHEN The Big One will happen in this series and you just grip the arm of the chair waiting for it, hoping your driver isn't the unsuspecting victim who gets taken out way too early.


Then there's the hope that your driver has what it takes to outlast the rest of the hard-charging challengers to bring home the trophy and get showered in Coca-Cola and Gatorade at the end of a suspense-filled night under the lights in Daytona. That is exactly what Denny Hamlin did in the Winn Dixie 250. With his knowledge and perseverance, he was able to be the last man standing when the chips fell at the end of a 250 mile fight to the finish.


It was quite the night for the Chesterfield, VA native and the relief and excitement was evident on his face as he celebrated with his crew in Victory Lane. It's one thing to make the race, to survive the crashes, make great pit stops and instill perfect pit strategy to avoid going a lap down, but it's the ultimate statement of talent to win any race at Daytona. The Winn Dixie 250 was Denny Hamlin's badge of courage and he wore it proudly.

Lipton TEA 250 Victory

Every time I look at that picture of a jubilant Denny Hamlin celebrating in Victory Lane at Richmond, I can't help but get a little teary eyed. I recall hearing of a young, bright eyed Denny Hamlin sitting in the stands at Richmond International Raceway, watching the very same guys he races with today, and wondering if he had what it takes to make it from spectator to competitor.

Not only is Denny Hamlin worthy of competitor, he's also earned a bit of hero status at the famed short track. Family and friends flock to the stands to watch their favorite son battle for victories and show the world that Virginia boys not only go fast and turn left they dominate races.

That is exactly what Denny Hamlin did when his team rolled the No. 20 Z-Line Designs Toyota out of the hauler. Qualifying third, Hamlin showed that he was ready to race from the get go. With a fierce determination to walk away from the track that he wanted to win at more than any other, the Chesterfield, Virginia native showed his true talent and finally captured the trophy he had dreamed of more than any other growing up.

Of all the trophies that Denny Hamlin took home in the 2008 NASCAR Season, no doubt the one he captured for winning the Lipton Tea 250 will be one of his favorites. The memory of proving that Richmond is a place he can not only race at but can also win will forever be one that I will cherish. This Virginia boy has taken hometown hero to a whole new level and every fan, from VA or not is proud to have him as their driver.

Heluva! Good 200 Victory

Joe Gibbs Racing dominated the NASCAR Nationwide Series with 8 victories and 4 poles in the first 13 races of the season. With his win at Richmond, Denny Hamlin proved that he was just as fierce as his teammates behind the wheel of the cutthroat No. 20 Toyota.

When JGR rolled out its No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Hot Rod Oil Toyota, the speculation began as to whether a second team from the record breaking team could produce the same flawless results. Never underestimate Denny Hamlin, or his desire to win. Oh yeah, and then there's crew chief Jason Radcliff.

While Dave Rogers has received all the accolades up to this point, Radcliff made his name known with Hamlin's victory at Dover. Not only was the driver and his stellar skills instrumental in the flagship victory for the No. 18 car in the 2008 NNS season, but Radcliff proved that he is also a Heluva! Good shot caller on top of the pit box.

During his post-race interview, Radcliff gave all the credit to God, thanking Him for giving him the ability and making it all possible. How can you not root for a man who gives credit where it's due? There is just simply no other way to describe the Joe Gibbs Racing camp than miraculous.

Denny Hamlin racked up an impressive victory at Dover and gave Joe Gibbs and his new brand of oil a well deserved trip to Victory Lane, taming the Monster Mile and knocking it down to size.

Goody's Cool Orange 500 Victory

It is no secret that race car drivers want to return to their hometown, to the racetrack that they dreamed of racing at as a kid and not only run there but win. It is the one thing that keeps them up at night. The track that tops their list of places they most desire to take the trophy home from.

When that trophy just happens to be a Grandfather clock, that makes it a little more special. It raises the stakes to a whole different level and causes the fire to burn just a bit hotter in their bellies.

For Virginia's brightest son, capturing a victory at Martinsville Speedway was something he not only dreamed about, it was something he had come so close to he could taste it, only to see it slip through his fingers. But 2008 wasn't just another disappointment, it was the dream come true that he had only imagined in his quiet times of reflection.

After falling short of a victory at Bristol Motorspeedway when he ran out of gas just a week before, Hamlin was hungry for a short track victory and being in front of his hometown fans with family and friends close by to support him, he proved that you can go home again and that dreams really do come true.

Hamlin led 82 laps including the all-important final one and was exuberant in Victory Lane. The celebration was heartwarming to say the least. When you follow a driver from his very first time behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup car, come to learn his hopes and expectations for himself and support him from victories, to crashes and everything in between, you can't help but feel the same excitement when he finally realizes his dream.

The Goody's Cool Orange 500 was by far one of the most memorable races for this Denny Hamlin fan. It is a moment that I will remember forever. When he retires and walks away from the sport, and I reflect on his illustrious career, that dreary day on March 30,2008 will be a bright and shining moment that will always make me smile and eternally make me proud to be a fan of the Virginia boy.

Gatorade Duel Race Number 2 Victory

The best part of any racing season is the first time the cars roll out on the track and finally break the drought that has left race fans jonesing for their favorite driver, the haulers, the cars, and the hustle and bustle of the festivities. Thank goodness for the unusual qualifying situation that takes place at Daytona International Speedway every February for the Daytona 500.

Time trials are run to set the fields for what is The Gatorade Duels. Two 125 lap shootouts for a starting spot in the famed Daytona 500. The only guaranteed spot is the top two qualifiers, the rest have to finish well in their respective Gatorade Duel or their season will start a week late.

Denny Hamlin proved in 2006 that he is Mr. February and Daytona is a track that he can succeed on when he won the Budweiser Shootout as a Rookie. The same held true when he took the track for Gatorade Duel race number 2.

Nabbing the trophy for the Gatorade Duel race that he was running ensured that Hamlin would start 4th when the flag flew to officially kick off the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season in the famed Daytona 500. His 17th place finish in the Great American Race was just the beginning of a spectacular season. Nothing like kicking off the festivities with a trip to Victory Lane.

Best And Worst NASCAR Races of 2008

The 2008 NASCAR season had some of the most amazing victories, losses, drama and outcomes ever. While I prepare for the upcoming 2009 season, I decided to take a look back at the moments that kept me on the edge of my seat and shaking my head.


Best:


10. Napa Auto Parts 200 - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: Road Course ringer Ron Fellows showed that you can’t contend with the masters on their home turf. Fellows is quite comfortable making right turns as well as left and the hills and chicanes don’t scare him at all. To see Fellows jubilant over his victory was truly a heart warming moment that will not soon be forgotten. His performance on rain tires, with windshield wipers and more crashes than a Demolition Derby just amazes me. Why this man doesn't have a full time ride when other also-rans are taking up space is beyond me.

9. Zippo 200 - Watkins Glen: Australian wonder boy Marcos Ambrose took home the trophy at the Zippo 200, proving that the man with the amazing accent from down under can race with the big boys and win. Runner-up Kyle Busch congratulated Ambrose in victory lane, showing that it’s not all about winning, there is something to sportsmanship as well. Marcos Ambrose is a talented, spectacular gentleman who will no doubt be a contender for more wins in 2009. His Nationwide Series team makes the jump to Sprint Cup this coming season and Ambrose will be running for the Rookie of the Year title. With his unbelievable racing abilities he will no doubt give the top dogs a run for their money.

8. Sylvania 300 - New Hampshire: Following some disappointing rain outs of qualifying, Joey Logano, NASCAR’s up and coming phenom was finally able to make his Sprint Cup debut. He was the driver of the No. 96 Home Depot Toyota for Hall of Fame Racing. He started 40th and finished 32nd 3 laps down. While it wasn't the killer first race the young upstart had hoped for, he proved that he is talented enough to run with the big dogs and 2009 will prove to be quite the season for Sliced Bread. When he takes over the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota from Tony Stewart, his true talents will shine and no doubt it will be quite bright.

7. Carquest Auto Parts 300 - Lowe’s: Giving us by far THE best drama of the 2008 season, the on-track incident between Brad Keselowski, his car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr and Denny Hamlin that subsequently lead to a full-on brawl between Hamlin and the NAVY crew as well as members of Earnhardt Jr’s crew was priceless. Who cares who won the race, nobody was looking at Victory Lane. They were riveted by the Princess and the Dragon battling it out on pit road. And the dragon certainly made it interesting with his concrete block comment. I could replay that moment over and over and never get tired of it. Thank You Denny Hamlin…you are the baddest dragon I’ve ever seen.

6. Ford 300 (NCTS)- Homestead: The most exciting truck race I have ever seen. Ron Hornaday and Johnny Benson battled to the very end for the Championship and Benson edged Hornaday to spoil his hopes of a repeat by only 7 points. Who says that Hornaday and Benson, who at one point were premiere drivers in the Sprint Cup Series, have lost their edge? These guys prove that racing at any age and in any series is exciting. Take note in the Sprint Cup series boys, this is the way to keep fans on the edge of their seats and begging for more.

5. Dodge Challenger 500 - Darlington: After hitting the wall more times than I could count, Kyle Busch went on to win the Dodge Challenger 500. Perhaps it was the special Indiana Jones paint scheme or maybe there was something paranormal that night under the lights in South Carolina. Whatever it was, the uber talented Kyle Busch proved that he could drive just about anything with tires, and just maybe a few without, and win. Darlington is lovingly referred to as The Lady in Black and Too Tough To Tame. All those Darlington Stripes on the race winning No. 18 Toyota just proved that if you talk to a lady right, you can get her to cooperate.

4. Food City 250 - Bristol: Going into the 2008 NNS season, Brad Keselowski's only goal was to win his first race. He was able to do that at Nashville on June 7th when he won the Federated Auto Parts 300. He was able to take off some of the pressure he had placed on himself to win and prove that he was good enough to race for team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr and carry the banner for JR Motorsports. When Keselowski won the Food City 250 at Bristol Motorspeedway on August 22nd, he showed the world and himself that it wasn't just a fluke that he went to victory lane. There's something to be said for young talent that lets their abilities shine and just lets the crew work their magic.

3. Federated Auto Parts 300 - Nashville: Brad Keselowski was hungry for a win. He didn’t care who was racing with him, they were just numbers on the side of a race car and another obstacle standing between him and his coveted first win. A teary eyed Brad Keselowski looked more relieved than surprised when he finally won his first race for car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his name one that would forever be remembered as one of the Nationwide Series’ greats. It is beyond rewarding to see hungry, determined drivers finally achieve their goal and then be able to relax and just enjoy racing. Which is in fact what makes them so awesome to watch in the first place.

2. Meijer 300 - Kentucky: In only his third Nationwide series start, rookie phenom Joey Logano won the pole for the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway and proved that Sliced Bread really was worth all the hype. He held off seasoned veterans, past series champions and some of the sport's brightest stars to win his very first race. It didn't hurt that his team, the dominant No. 20 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, lead my genius crew chief Dave Rogers, was en fuego and helped Logano prove he has what it takes to run with the big dogs. With his angelic smile, humble yet determined personality and more talent than past Sprint Cup series champions, Joey Logano made history at just 18 years old when he rolled into Victory Lane at Kentucky.

1. Goody’s Cool Orange 500 - Martinsville: It’s no secret that Virginia native Denny Hamlin wants to win in front of his hometown fans more than anywhere else on the circuit. And taking home a Grandfather clock was high on his list of things to achieve in the 2008 season. With his stellar performance and rebound from a poor choice to pit when everyone else stayed out, a move that dropped Hamlin to 18th, the class act that pilots the No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota pulled off a coveted win in his home state. Who says you can’t go home again and be the hometown that boy does good and makes fans proud headline in your local paper? Anyone who says it's not possible had better watch the footage of Denny Hamlin and take notes.

WORST:

10. LENOX Industrial Tools 301 - New Hampshire: Rain set in at New Hampshire, shortening the race and giving the victory to Miller Lite Dodge pilot Kurt Busch. While I don’t begrudge the elder of the Busch brothers his victory, I hate to see any race called before it’s excepted run. Good day for Kurt Busch, bad day for race fans.

9. Ford 300 and Ford 400 - Homestead-Miami: Race winner Carl Edwards put his whole heart and soul into the final races of the season, hoping that his great performances and back to back wins would somehow be enough to win atleast one of the titles he had fought so hard for. His efforts fell short and saw him as a bridesmaid not once but twice in the same weekend. While the races were exciting, the final outcomes were heart-wrenching to watch. But Edwards handled it with the true class fans have come to expect from this gentleman. A repeat of last year’s Nationwide Series title just wasn’t to be. But look for Flip to come back with a vengeance when the green flag flies in Daytona for the start of the 2009 season.

8. Food City 500 - Bristol: Denny Hamlin led 98 of the 500 laps on the short track that is Bristol, came back from an on-track tangle with Juan Pablo Montoya to make his way back into the Top 10 and needed only to protect his position to win the race when he ran out of fuel, allowing Jeff Burton to dart past him to take the victory. Hamlin finished a respectable eighth, but it was the story of his season. Bad luck, parts failures and questions of what could have been plagued the Fed Ex Toyota driver and left fans to wonder if their favorite had won all the races he was leading where would he have finished in the final Chase standings.

7. Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 - Richmond: Aware of a tire going down, race leader Denny Hamlin slowed on the track to avoid damaging his car and drew the caution flag. When he restarted and made his way to pit road for four fresh Goodyear’s, NASCAR penalized the Fed Ex driver two laps for intentionally bringing out the caution. The polesitter eventually finished 24th, 3 laps down, ending his chances at a victory at a track he was a spectator at just a few short years before.

6. UAW - Dodge 400 - Las Vegas: Carl Edwards won his second race of the season in Sin City only to have his transgressions catch up with him. During post-race inspection, the No. 99 team was caught with the lid over the oil tank unattached. The victory was allowed, but the driver was docked 100 points for the infraction. He was also denied the bonus points for the win when the Chase started. Not a big deal at the time, but as the season wound down those valuable lost points proved to be critical for Jimmie Johnson.

5. 3M Performance 400 - Michigan: Denny Hamlin finished 39th in Michigan following an engine failure. A visibly frustrated Denny Hamlin was unable to hide his disappointment when interviewed in the garage area. Hamlin expressed that with the way his team had been running lately, they didn’t even deserve to be in the Chase. A comment that the media refused to let die, well ever. For his one moment of exasperation at continued poor performances, Denny Hamlin was the 2008 season’s villain and the poster boy for what happens when you grant an interview you should have respectfully declined.

4. NAPA Auto Parts 200 - Circuit Gilles Villeneuve: When rain showers set in at the famed Canadian road course, drivers donned rain tires and windshield wipers to finish the race. Interesting to say the least, but a bad idea. Just ask Carl Edwards, who declining to take a wiper himself, struggled for visibility. While it will forever go down as one of the most entertaining races of all time, it was a disaster that should have been called instead of continued. It was fun to see NASCAR's finest try out their rain gear but it was more dangerous than entertaining and I hope there will be no replays in the future.

3. Allstate 400 @ The Brickyard - Indianapolis: Blown tires was the story of the day for this catastrophe that was held at the famed Brickyard. Significant tire wear was found to be an issue and NASCAR implemented frequent cautions for crews to evaluate the situation. It was frustrating, unnecessary and left Tony Stewart as the voice of his 42 fellow drivers when he criticized Goodyear. Seems Smoke failed to put a fire under the tire company, because the problem repeated itself several times throughout the season.

2. Best Buy 400 - Dover: The Monster Mile proved that it is just as fierce as you think it is when it took out several cars in an early race accident that left carnage and gave Denny Hamlin a 43rd place finish. Battling for the same piece of real estate, David Gilliand and Elliott Sadler simply ran out of room and with nowhere to go, Hamlin found himself unable to avoid the other cars that had crashed in front of him and was another casualty of stupidity meeting high speed.

1. Amp Energy 500 - Talladega: In one of the scariest crashes this Denny Hamlin would rather forget, a 200 mph right hand turn straight into the wall took race leader Denny Hamlin to the hospital and left Fed Ex Racing fans everywhere breathless and terrified. With a blthankful for the Car of Tomorrow and the technology the sport has implemented to protect its most precious commodity.own tire and no way to avoid it, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin has left me in tears and thankful for the Car of Tomorrow and the technology the sport has implemented to protect its most precious commodity.

Hotlanta Proves Burning Questions True

When I watch a race, I examine it a bit differently than the average fan. I don't see the machines and the wrenches, the equipment and the parts. I see the men, the sweat, the brain power, the man hours, and at times even the shed blood that went into the effort. The communication and the collaboration and the genius that made each lap what it was.

To avoid spinning out the car when it gets sideways, at 180 mph, in a split second to have the reflexes and wisdom to keep the car from hitting the wall or the car next to you is a talent I wish I possessed.

Having a good car is essential for winning races and producing Top 5 and Top 10 finishes as well as victories. It goes without saying that if the equipment isn't top-notch there is no such thing as competitive for any team. Having the right people in the right places is vital and indispensable.

But without the genius of a crew chief, the good communication and understanding between him and the driver there is no chance for a good run. If the smallest misunderstanding takes place, the handling of the car is severely effected and a strong finish is erased. For the crew guys, one mis-step, one missed lug nut or one split second error can cost valuable time that can never be made up. For the driver, if he speeds down pit road or doesn't hit his pit box just perfectly, he can be penalized and lose a lap.

The perfect orchestration of a pit stop, the intricate details of a setup change and the descriptive chatter between driver and crew chief make the sport of NASCAR the most exhilerating to watch and breath taking to experience first hand.

Denny Hamlin's performance in Atlanta this weekend proved that the team everyone doubts truly does have what it takes to get the job done. It also proves that every lap matters, it's not over until the final lap is run and each race is anyone's to win or lose.

The Fed Ex Toyota seemed to be the dominant car and a late caution took away Hamlin's hope of bringing home a victory and securing a spot in the final 10 spots of the Chase and a trip to NYC. But never count the Joe Gibbs Racing driver and his miraculous crew out until the final bell rings.

Returning to Texas this week, the site of Hamlin's Sprint Cup debut, marks the Virginia boy's 113th career start and will no doubt hold special meaning. The race is anyone's to win and if I had my way, the Fed Ex racing crew would be the ones spraying the champagne when the dust settles on Sunday afternoon.