NASCAR notes: Denny Hamlin hopes to end Toyota’s drought
Denny Hamlin would like to end the dubious streak.
It’s been 32 races since a Toyota visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and more than a year since it won at an non-restrictor-plate track. Hamlin was the last Toyota driver to win, taking the checkered flag at Talladega last May. Kyle Busch was the last Toyota driver to win an unrestricted race, doing so at the March 2014 race at Fontana.
“It’s been said 1,000 times about when the last Toyota win has been,” Hamlin said. “It’s been tough and it’s been a hard year for the organization and the manufacturer.”
That’s why Hamlin is viewed as possibly the best option to end the drought at Sunday’s STP 500. He has won four times at Martinsville, and consistently runs in the front. He has an average finish of 8.7 in 18 career races.
So maybe this is where Hamlin and Toyota take a turn for the better instead of the worse.
“We still know we’ve got a lot of work to do, but [a win] would definitely take a lot of pressure off, because right now we’re all in that hornets’ nest of the bubble spot if this thing comes down to points,” Hamlin said. “I’m very confident when we come here that this is one of those opportunities where you just need to seize as a race team. We should be in the mix.”
Safety chatter
Safety remains a talking point in NASCAR, particularly as Kyle Busch remains sidelined after an Xfinity Series wreck at Daytona. Martinsville Speedway took extra precaution for this weekend’s races by adding a tire barrier at the end of the backstretch, something applauded by drivers.
“I appreciate the things that they’re doing, and I know the tire stuff is temporary,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “The tires are better than the concrete wall.”
Earnhardt Jr. went on to say that safety is an on-going issue, and it should always be at the forefront. He said it’s something that will continue to evolve from SAFER barriers to the equipment and safety within the cars.
“We don’t know this today, but we probably are only one foot in a 100-yard race on how good these head rests and head restraints can get,” he said. “It looks great and it’s doing a good job now, but there is so much more to understand and learn and improve on these things. There is a lot to be understood and improved on.
“We have only just scratched the surface on how safe the head rests can be and where we are with harnesses. We keep improving and adding and changing that. This stuff could look completely foreign to us 20 years from now what we have now.”
Briefly
▪ Chip Ganassi Racing officials said Kyle Larson was taken to a hospital as a precaution after fainting during an autograph session at Martinsville Speedway. Ganassi said Larson was awake and alert. Ganassi is hopeful Larson will be cleared to race Sunday.
▪ Paul Menard, who sits ninth in the points standings and starts 13th Sunday, on Martinsville: “Martinsville is a whole different animal. It has been a tough track for us for sure. It is a track that is really fun to drive, but it is very challenging to race.”
▪ Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson, on racing at Martinsville: “It’s a challenge, it’s fun. I was just watching the fall race from last year. Holy smokes, we unfortunately had some problems early on, but, boy, there seemed to be a lot of problems throughout the course of the race. It was like a demolition derby as opposed to an oval-track race. We are looking forward to it.”
▪ Hendrick Motorsports has won 22 races at Martinsville Speedway. That is the most by an owner at any track in Cup Series history.
Drew Davison, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published March 28, 2015 at 4:11 PM with the headline "NASCAR notes: Denny Hamlin hopes to end Toyota’s drought."