Déjà vu Would be Just Fine with Denny Hamlin

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 17: A detail of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, driven by Denny Hamlin during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash on February 17, 2017 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Getty Images

Denny Hamlin wouldn’t mind at all if history repeated itself during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway.

Hamlin won the Advance Auto Parts Clash, and eight days later, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota followed up with his first Daytona 500 victory, a breathtaking affair that saw Hamlin beat fellow Camry driver Martin Truex Jr. to the finish line by 0.010 seconds, a margin of roughly six inches.

Hamlin is well aware that winning The Great American Race back-to-back is one of the toughest feats in motorsports, so tough that only three drivers have accomplished the feat: Richard Petty (1973-1974), Cale Yarborough (1983-1984) and Sterling Marlin (1994-1995).

Hamlin also knows that ganging up with his Toyota teammates may not be as easy as it was last year, when Camry drivers dominated the event and swept the three podium positions.

“It was very important that we set out a goal – really an objective – to work together and really do everything we could to remain in a pack,” Hamlin said on Friday, taking questions from reporters in front of a “show” version of his Daytona 500-winning car. “It worked out phenomenally.

“But since then, everyone has seen that, and it’s going to be very hard to replicate anything like that ever again. Now that the competition’s seen it, it’s going to be hard to do. But you’ve just got to come up with a new plan, something they haven’t seen before.”

Brad Keselowski led first Clash practice with a lap at 191.604 mph (46.972 seconds). Eleven of the 17 eligible cars participated in the opening practice, which consisted solely of single-car runs.

In final clash practice on Friday night, the four Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas augured a repeat performance of last year’s Speedweeks, filling the top four positions on the speed chart. Defending clash and Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin paced the session at 196.528 mph, followed by rookie teammate Daniel Suarez (196.279 mph).