Denny Hamlin E-mail
The NASCAR Nextel Rookie of the Year, Denny Hamlin, will be at the Motorsports 2007 show at the Atlantic City Convention Center this Saturday to sign autographs from 1-3pm. Autographs are free with admission to the show. Although it arrived too late to make my AC Weekly cover story http://www.acweekly.com/index.php on the Midget auto races and the Motorsports Show, I’ve included my E-mail exchange with Denny Hamlin here.
ACW: I understand you very young when you decided you wanted to be a race driver. Was there a particular moment that triggered your interest and how young were you?
Denny Hamlin: I was two or three years old when according to my mom I first started speaking complete sentences and all I said was that I wanted to be a racecar driver. I used to watch races on television with my father when I was very young and that was what sparked my interest in the sport and my career dream.
ACW: How thrilled were you winning Rookie of the Year honors and being in the Chase for the Cup? How do you top that this season?
DH: Our goal last year was to finish in the top fifteen in points and win the rookie of the year honors. We felt that if we could beat out a very strong rookie class of drivers in 2006, which included JJ Yeley, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson and David Stremme, the FedEx #11 team would have had a very successful year. Obviously, to win not only rookie of the year honors, but two races, as well as the Bud Shoot Out, qualify for the Chase, and finish third in the point standings, surpassed all of our expectations. It definitely was an awesome rookie season that in my wildest dreams I never would have thought could be as good as it turned out. At Joe Gibbs Racing, we are given everything we need to compete for race wins and the Championship, so I think we’ll top our rookie season by continuing to achieve consistent results, win races and qualify for the Chase. The Nextel Cup Series is very competitive and I think you top your prior season by not only having the chance to win races, but continuing to improve week in and week out.
ACW: Who will be your toughest competition this year?
DH: We know that we are going to have extremely difficult competition from at least 35 different teams this year. And the addition of the Toyota teams in 2007 will bring even greater competition. Of course, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, all of the usual guys in the top 15 in points, are going to be consistently very tough, but there will probably be drivers such as Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, and others who will exceed expectations this year and battle for spots in the Chase.
ACW: Have you ever been to Atlantic City and are do planning to do any gambling while here?
DH: Not yet, so I am really looking forward to coming. I heard that Lenny Samons Motorsports show is always great and as I enjoy coming to places like Atlantic City, I expect to have a lot of fun. Unfortunately, my stay in Atlantic City will be short as I have an appearance in Cincinnati that evening.
It sounds like racecar drivers have a hectic schedule even in the off-season.