The First Reid: Once Again, Fontana Is Forgettable For Hamlin
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
Don’t blame Denny Hamlin if he develops the same sense of foreboding for Auto Club Speedway that Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch has for Kansas Speedway.
For Hamlin, the two-mile track in Fontana, Calif. is star-crossed, to say the least.
Last year, Hamlin missed four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races after breaking his back (a compression fracture of the first lumbar vertebra) after a collision with Joey Logano’s Ford sent his Toyota rocketing into the inside wall.
Naturally enough, one of the main story lines entering Sunday’s Auto Club 400 was a possible revenge play between Hamlin and Logano, but that show closed before the curtain went up.
Instead of walking to the starting grid, Hamlin rode to a local hospital on the morning of the race, suffering from a sinus infection serious enough to require immediate attention. Sam Hornish Jr. took his place in the No. 11 JGR Toyota and finished a solid 17th.
Hamlin was released from the hospital Sunday evening, with further observation and evaluation planned this week after his return to North Carolina, according to a statement his team released on Sunday night.
Coincidentally, Hamlin spent most more than 24 hours in the hospital before returning home after last year’s accident. A hospital certainly is an uncomfortable place for a driver to be.
But the most uncomfortable place a driver can be is anywhere outside his race car. Here’s to a speedy recovery that will keep Hamlin’s absence as short as possible.
@nascarcasm
“To allow teams a chance to gather data on a surface similar to that of Auto Club Speedway, NASCAR will allow testing on the lunar surface in 2015.”
· “Aggressive camber setups and low air pressure caused several blown tires throughout the race. Fairly certain many teams’ Fontana setup notes will meet the same fate as their tires, in that they’ll be quickly shredded.”
· “Fontana’s rough, bumpy surface is what gives it its character, and will hopefully not getting a facelift anytime soon. And in the Los Angeles area, turning down a facelift is damn rare.”
· “The celebrities come out in full force when NASCAR comes to Fontana – a good thing too, because after last year’s post-race fireworks, the drivers need to be reminded that you don’t need to punch each other in the face in order to see stars.”
· “Jimmie Johnson suffered bad luck for two straight weeks, which could spell trouble for the #48 team, especially with Martinsville coming up. It’s well-documented that Martinsville is Jimmie’s weak spot, as evidenced by his ownership of enough grandfather clocks for every world time zone.”
(Follow @nascarcasm on Twitter. His unique views on NASCAR are his own – but chances are you already knew that.)
NASCAR NUMBERS
5: The number of laps led by race winner Kyle Busch in Sunday’s Auto Club 500. That’s the lowest number of laps led by the Joe Gibbs Racing superstar in any of his 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories. Before Sunday’s race at two-mile Auto Club Speedway, Busch had led at list 12 laps in each of his wins.
7: The number of positions gained by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Kyle Larson in the final two laps of Sunday’s Auto Club 500. After a late caution, Larson restarted ninth for a green-white-checkered-flag finish and charged forward to battle Kyle Busch for the win before coming home second.
8: The number of career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories recorded by Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville Speedway, tied with Dover for his highest total at any track. After leading 104 laps Sunday at Fontana, only to see his winning chances ruined by a late flat tire, Johnson has every reason to be happy heading to Martinsville this weekend.
6: The number of consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway won by Chevrolet drivers. Chevy has won 15 of the last 19 Cup events at the venerable .526-mile short track. Toyota has won the other four races in that span, all with Denny Hamlin behind the wheel.
21: The record number of cautions in the Oct. 21, 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, won by—who else?—Jimmie Johnson. In a race that went to overtime, drivers ran 127 of 506 laps under yellow, another track record.
NSCS ETC.
In 2014, Hendrick Motorsports celebrates its 30th anniversary in NASCAR – and this weekend, specifically, its first win in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. On April 29, 1984 at Martinsville Speedway, Geoffrey Bodine took his No. 5 Chevrolet to Victory Lane for a single-car operation then known as All-Star Racing. A year later, the team changed its name to Hendrick Motorsports. And three decades later, that tiny operation has evolved into a four-car juggernaut that has captured 219 wins, along with a record-setting 11 premier series championships and 14 national series titles. Since 1984, 16 different drivers have won a race with Hendrick Motorsports, led by Jeff Gordon with 88 victories. … Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never won at Martinsville Speedway, but the statistics suggest he’s due – big time. In the all-telling driver rating – a loop data stat which takes into account a number of on-track measurements – Earnhardt has earned a 98.9 at Martinsville, making the Virginia short track his most successful in terms of the loop data stat. … The Kyle Busch countdown continues. Busch led five laps on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, bringing his career total to 9,938. He needs 62 more to become the 15th driver in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history to reach 10,000 career laps led.
Tweets Of The Week
Ricky Stenhouse Jr @StenhouseJr
What a day… Glad that’s over!! But 1 thing to take away… The FANS showed up at Cali and made lots of noise!!! Awesome to see!!
Holly Cain NASCAR.COM @_HollyCain
Wow. Tony Stewart says he’d be a math teacher if not racing.
NASCAR @NASCAR
Five races, five different winners.
Robert Griffin III@RGII
“@DaleJr: I’m sure the fans here can persuade him to make the trip. @RIRprez @RGIII @FOXSports @RIRInsider @NASCAR” I’m game brother
Dale Earnhardt Jr. @DaleJr
No doubt Kyle Larson wins on the cup side this year. He’s damn good and surrounded by solid improving team. @88_Coconut @KyleLarsonRacin
Jimmie Johnson @JimmieJohnson
Say what, no chance you’re up at 5 am bro. @DaleJr: West coast time change is kickin my butt. Bet I’m up by 5AM.
Brad Keselowski @keselowski
With respect to those who don’t- I like long races. Guess I’m in the minority…
Ryan McGee @ESPNMcGee
If they ever try to repave this place (Auto Club Speedway) I will lay down in front of the asphalt trucks like an old hippie. #NASCAR
Kyle Larson @KyleLarson
What a dang weekend!! I’m still trying to figure out how I got to 2nd. Big thanks to everyone @CGRTeams @Target congrats @KyleBusch
Mark Martin @MarkMartin
I have already moved on. RT @TheOrangeCone: @markmartin is there any part of it you miss, or have you cleansed it from your system?? 🙂
Orange Cone @TheOrangeCone
Want people to notice you and respond to you on Twitter? Be original. Be you. Don’t rip other people off.
Tune-In: NASCAR On Television, Week of March 24-30
Monday, March 24
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Tue.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Tuesday, March 25
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
3 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Auto Club Speedway (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Wednesday, March 26
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Auto Club Speedway (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Thursday, March 27
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Friday, March 28
11 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at Greenville, FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice,
FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Special, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air),
FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m., 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 1
3 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 a.m. (Sat.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying,
FOX Sports 1
Saturday, Mar. 29
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice, FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying,
FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice, FOX Sports 2
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub Special (re-air), FOX Sports 2
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Martinsville (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Sunday, Mar. 30
11 a.m., 1 on 1: Jimmie Johnson (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Pre-Race Show, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Martinsville, FOX
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Martinsville, FOX Deportes
7 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
2014 Winners
Pos Driver Wins
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
2. Kevin Harvick 1
3. Brad Keselowski 1
4. Carl Edwards 1
5. Kyle Busch 1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Carl Edwards 186
2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 185
3 Jeff Gordon 184
4 Brad Keselowski 182
5 Matt Kenseth 179
6 Jimmie Johnson 165
7 Kyle Busch 158
8 Ryan Newman 150
9 Austin Dillon # 150
10 Joey Logano 146
11 Denny Hamlin 140
12 Jamie McMurray 138
13 Brian Vickers 137
14 Paul Menard 134
15 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 132
16 Kyle Larson # 131
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Regan Smith 185
2 Trevor Bayne 185
3 Ty Dillon # 179
4 Chase Elliott # 177
5 Elliott Sadler 174
6 Brendan Gaughan 160
7 Brian Scott 160
8 D. Kwasniewski # 149
9 James Buescher 145
10 Mike Bliss 125
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Timothy Peters 43
2 Johnny Sauter 41
3 Ron Hornaday Jr. 39
4 Ryan Blaney 38
5 Jeb Burton 37
6 Joe Nemechek 36
7 Jimmy Weller III 35
8 German Quiroga 34
9 Ryan Sieg 33
10 Tyler Reddick 32
THIS WEEK
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
The Race:
STP 500
The Place:
Martinsville Speedway
The Date/Time:
Sunday, March 30, 1 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Ch. 90
_______________________
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
The Race:
Kroger 250
The Place:
Martinsville Speedway
The Date/Time:
Saturday, March 29,
3:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX Sports 1
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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