RACE INFO:
Event: AMP Energy 500
Date/Time: Nov. 1, 2009/2 p.m.
2008 winner: Tony Stewart
2008 pole winner: Travis Kvapil
Distance: 188 laps/500 miles
Track Length: 2.66 miles
Banking: 33 degrees
Track Shape: Tri-Oval

EXPRESS NOTES:
Hamlin, FedEx Racing Marvelous at Martinsville: Denny Hamlin freely admitted that, if needed to win, he would return the bump from Jimmie Johnson that took away his shot at victory in the spring visit to Martinsville Speedway. Thanks to a great drive and perfect race strategy on Sunday afternoon, he simply didn’t need to. Hamlin worked the #11 FedEx Toyota to the front and left Johnson chasing him, attempting to close the gap over the final 137 laps and though three late-race restarts. However, he could only get as far as the bumper of the #11 as Hamlin fended off the challenge to take the checkered flag. The win marks a second visit to Martinsville Speedway’s Victory Lane for the #11 team and career-best third win for the season for Hamlin. With the Chase for the Sprint Cup out of reach on the heels of struggles at California and Charlotte, Sunday’s win serves as both consolation and inspiration for Hamlin and the FedEx Racing program. Hamlin and the FedEx Racing team earned the maximum points available by winning the race and leading a race-high 206 laps and Hamlin climbs from 11th to ninth in the Chase standings. He currently sits 352 points behind Johnson in first and 152 points behind Juan Pablo Montoya in fifth place.

Denny in the Drop Box in Birmingham: In support of Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team, FedEx is installing custom sound devices featuring a special message from the driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota into hundreds of drop boxes in the Birmingham area. Starting two weeks ago in Charlotte, over 700 of the one-of-a-kind drop boxes are being placed in additional markets, including Charlotte, Greensboro, Birmingham, Ala., and Miami leading up to the season finale of the Sprint Cup Series at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Hamlin at Talladega Superspeedway: This weekend will mark Denny Hamlin's eighth Cup start at Talladega and his 148th career Cup start. Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Racing team led on seven occasions for a total of 28 laps in April before being caught up in a multi-car incident with only seven laps to go. Despite having a dominant car for much of the race, Hamlin was unable to make it back to the front before the checkered flag came out and was scored in 22nd place. Previous races at the 2.66-mile superspeedway have seen the #11 team substantially raise their game – building very good race cars and consistently leading laps. In the fall of 2008 Hamlin charged to the point and had led nine laps before his right front tire went down and sent the #11 FedEx Toyota careening into the turn two wall. The impact forced Hamlin from the race and gave the #11 team a first-ever DNF at Talladega. Before bowing out early last fall, the FedEx team had posted back-to-back top-five finishes. Hamlin's #11 was the class of the field in April of 2008 as the FedEx car showed the ability to pull up to the bumper of seemingly any car on the track then, regardless of where they sat in the pack, push them all the way to the front. A late wreck shuffled the field with 15-laps to go and Hamlin was forced to drive forward from 20th place before finishing third. In the fall of 2007 Hamlin led 40 laps before finishing fourth. In the spring of 2007, Hamlin led 48 laps during the middle portion of the race but, as the action picked up and the cautions started flying, he was forced to pit for fuel and settle for a disappointing 21st-place finish. In his first two Cup starts at Talladega, Hamlin recorded 21st and 22nd place finishes while leading one lap in each race.

Race Series Date Start Finish Laps (Led)
Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup April 26, 2009 18 22 188/188 28
Amp Energy 500 Sprint Cup Oct. 5, 2008 37 39 (DNF) 98/190 9
Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup April 27, 2008 7 3 188/188 37
UAW-Ford 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 7, 2007 18 4 188/188 40
Aaron’s 499 Nextel Cup April 29, 2007 3 21 192/192 48
UAW-Ford 500 Nextel Cup Oct. 8, 2006 12 21 188/188 1
Aaron’s 499 Nextel Cup May 1, 2006 30 22 187/188 1____
Averages/Totals 17.7 18.9 93% 164

FedEx Express Birmingham Market “Along for the Ride” at Talladega: The #11 FedEx Express Camry will feature “BHM” on the wing caps this weekend at Talladega. The Birmingham, Ala., market is being recognized for outstanding commitment to safety and superior customer service.

TALLADEGA CHASSIS – JGR 233 & 244: The #11 team will unload JGR 233 this weekend at Talladega. This car posted a 22nd place finish at Talladega in April and finished 26th in the 2009 Daytona 500. JGR 244 will serve as the backup this weekend. Hamlin drove 244 to a third-place finish at Daytona in July.

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – TALLADEGA:
Does the win at Martinsville make up for the pain at California and Charlotte?: “I don’t think it makes up for it as much as gives us something to shoot for, a little extra motivation for the end of the season. We had an awful stretch there and we just had to reevaluate our season a little. The championship is out of reach for us, we gave up too much ground but we wanted to come to Martinsville and win – it was that simple. We can take a few more chances and we’ll take that attitude with us to the end with hopes of getting into the top five by the end. It’s frustrating because sitting in 11th place before Martinsville, that didn’t represent our team and how competitive we’ve been this season. We want to go out and show how good we are over the last four races, and if we can’t win a championship we’ll do our best to win races before this is over. Martinsville is one but we want more and believe we can do it.”

You have some changes to the car at Talladega this time out – How do you see it affecting performance?: “What we’ve seen lately is the ability for two cars to hook up and run away from the pack. I think the changes may lead to even more of that. I know I have been able to find Kyle or Joey or another car and we can put a second a lap on the field. I think the intention is good but these changes are going to make the cars even more even in the draft. I think it opens the door for two really good cars that are able to work together to pull away. We’ll see on Friday.”

FEDEX RACING – 2009 SEASON RESULTS:
Race Track Date Start Finish Laps (Led)_
Daytona 500 Daytona Feb. 15 10 26 152/152
Auto Club 500 Auto Club Feb. 22 23 6 250/250
Shelby 427 Las Vegas March 1 34 22 284/285¬¬¬¬¬
Kobalt Tools 500 Atlanta March 8 6 13 329/330
Food City 500 Bristol March 22 24 2 503/503 7
Goody’s 500 Martinsville March 29 8 2 500/500 296
Samsung 500 Texas April 5 22 12 334/334
Subway Fresh Fit 500 Phoenix April 18 12 6 312/312
Aaron’s 499 Talladega April 26 18 22 188/188 28
Crown Royal 400 Richmond May 2 3 14 400/400 148
Southern 500 Darlington May 9 23 13 367/367
Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte May 24 13 11 227/227
Autism Speaks 400 Dover May 31 13 35 232/400
Pocono 500 Pocono June 7 7 38 178/200
LifeLock 400 Michigan June 14 13 3 200/200 1
Toyota/SaveMart 350 Sonoma June 21 24 5 113/113 33
Lenox Tools 301 New Hampshire June 28 7 15 283/283 1
Coke Zero 400 Daytona July 4 6 3 160/160 63
LifeLock.com 400 Chicago July 11 4 5 267/267
Brickyard 400 Indianapolis July 26 14 34 144/160
Pennsylvania 500 Pocono Aug. 3 6 1 200/200 91
Heluva Good! at the Glen Watkins Glen Aug. 10 3 10 90/90
Carfax 400 Michigan Aug. 16 16 10 200/200 2
Sharpie 500 Bristol Aug. 22 41 5 500/500
Pep Boys 500 Atlanta Sept. 6 10 6 335/325 23
Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Richmond Sept. 12 3 1 400/400 299
Sylvania 300 New Hampshire Sept. 20 4 2 300/300 22
AAA 400 Dover Sept. 27 13 22 398/400
Price Chopper 400 Kansas Oct. 4 22 5 267/267 1
Pepsi 500 Auto Club Oct. 11 1 37 195/250 21
NASCAR Banking 500 LMS Oct. 17 17 42 192/334 54
Tums 500 Martinsville Oct. 25 17 1 501/501 206
Averages/Totals 13.7 13.4 95.7% 1296

2009 FEDEX RACING – TEAM ROSTER
Crew Chief: Mike Ford – Morristown, Tenn.
Car Chief: Chris “Spider” Gillin – Smithtown, NY
Shocks: Tim Sparkman – St. Louis, Mo.
Engineer: Mike Wheeler – Southholt, NY
Front Tire Changer: Jonathan Sherman – Monroe, La.
Tire Specialist: Patrick Mullen – Brick, N.J.
Windshield: Bobby “Spike” Christenson – Spokane, Wash.
Mechanic: Rick Bray – Placerville, Calif.**
Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks – Salisbury, N.C.
Rear Tire Carrier: Heath Cherry – Belmont, N.C.
Spotter: Curtis Markham – Fredericksburg, Va.
Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram – Statesville, N.C.
Jackman: Nate Bolling – Swanton, Ohio**
Motor Specialist: Chris Woodward - Franklin, NH
Gas can: Scott Wood – Liberty, S.C.
Catch Can: John Eicher – London, Ky.
Hauler Driver: Jerry Hess – Lancaster, Pa.
Mechanic: John Furino – Long Island, NY
Hauler Driver: Frank Hodel – Blythe, Calif.
JGR Athletic Director: Michael Lepp – Charlotte, N.C.