By Ryan - Posted on August 5, 2009
Racing News 360 is happy to report on Denny Hamlin’s version of Babe Ruth’s “called shot”. In Long Pond, Pennsylvania on Friday, Hamlin suggested that he was pretty sure he was going to win on Sunday. It wasn’t much of a leap of faith for him to be sure; Denny has won twice in 7 starts at Pocono. On a rain delayed Monday race, which ended up being one of the more exciting races from the 2 ½ mile tri-oval track, Hamlin took 6 positions in 13 laps to win the Pennsylvania 500. Juan Pablo Montoya, quickly becoming one of NASCAR’s strongest drivers, finished second. Clint Bowyer, Sam Hornish, and Kasey Kaine rounded out an uncommon group of names in the top 5.
For the Fedex Camry crew, this win was special in a very sad and humbling way. Tire Carrier Patrick Mullen lost his mother recently, and Denny Hamlin lost his grandmother less than two days before turning qualifying laps in Pennsylvania. Hamlin wept in victory lane as he held the trophy. "[We] definitely had some angels with us [Monday]. Patrick's mom passed away a couple weeks ago and my grandmother a few days ago. I was definitely driving aggressive out there, trying to do everything I could to get a win for them. It's emotional. We had a dominant car with two heavy souls in our race car [Monday],” Hamlin said.
In the heat of watching 43 drivers battle each week for position, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that these are men, with loved ones who are vital parts of their lives. At moments like this, when a young man like Denny Hamlin brings a coveted victory in honor of his grandmother, it is best to put the importance of the victory into his own words. "Up until a few weeks ago, she lost her sight totally," Hamlin revealed in his post-race interview. "She couldn't hear very well, she couldn't see very well. She had a 30-inch TV that she sat about four inches from. That's how she could see me, and see my car and everything. She had a FedEx No. 11 bear and always wore her No. 11 socks. She always told me that she put out a prayer to St. Jude for us every weekend... I think today, she's pretty proud."
