Richmond Raceway (Richmond) is celebrating Chesterfield, Va. native and two-time DAYTONA 500 Champion Denny Hamlin with a special ticket offer for the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Saturday, April 13. The exclusive ticket package includes a ticket to the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 and a DC Solar FanGrounds pass starting at $85.
“Denny Hamlin has a strong connection to Richmond Raceway, where he watched his heroes race as a young boy hoping to one day compete on NASCAR’s highest level,” said Richmond President Dennis Bickmeier. “With a Racing Virginia native bringing home the checkered flag in The Great American Race, we are providing our fans an exclusive ticket offer for the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 to give our loyal fans the opportunity to see the DAYTONA 500 Champion in person. We look forward to welcoming Denny back home for the Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 12-13.”
The April Cup Ticket & DC Solar FanGrounds Ticket Package includes a ticket to the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race and a DC Solar FanGrounds pass for Saturday, April 13. The TOYOTA OWNERS 400 marks the return of NASCAR to the Capital City for racing “under the lights” at America’s Premier Short Track. NASCAR’s best will battle with DAYTONA 500 Champion and Chesterfield native Denny Hamlin to capture the coveted TOYOTA OWNERS 400 trophy.
The DC Solar FanGrounds will make its spring debut over the Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 12-13. The DC Solar FanGrounds brings new attractions and enhanced amenities for fans including the Markel Entertainment Plaza, M&M’s Neighborhood, Virginia Tourism Visitor Center, Eternal Fan Pedestrian Tunnel and Fan Memories program, and the fan-friendly Gatorade Victory Lane, which provides fans the opportunity to be a part of the post-race celebrations. A FanGrounds pass includes Saturday pit access, immersive pre-race introductions, and activities before the race with driver appearances and other interactive programming. The April Cup Ticket & DC Solar FanGrounds Ticket Package starts at $85.
In Sunday’s DAYTONA 500, Hamlin led 30 laps en route to his victory over his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammates Kyle Busch and Erik Jones, who finished second and third respectively. Toyota drivers finished 1-2-3 for a third time since the manufacturer first joined the Monster Energy Series in 2007. The other two occasions were at Richmond on April 2011 and Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 2018. Hamlin battled back from being a lap down early in the race to take home his second checkered flag four years at The Great American Race. It was also the 100th Cup Series victory in a Toyota Camry by a JGR driver since Toyota first began competing with the team in 2008.
“I think this is our ninth win at Daytona in different series and Clashes and things like that,” said Denny Hamlin, driver of the FedEx #11 Toyota Camry. “I never would have dreamed winning nine times at Daytona. This one is extra special, but you know, I just think I’ve gotten smarter as I’ve gotten older about the things that I need to do. Really it took past failures over the last few years of not winning the DAYTONA 500 and learning from those circumstances that put me in the situation tonight to put myself in the right situation to go out there and win.”
This victory is special for Hamlin for many reasons, but particularly because it honored the person who gave him his start at JGR. J.D. Gibbs, son of team owner Joe Gibbs, passed away in January after a battle with a degenerative neurological disease. J.D. signed Hamlin to JGR at the beginning of his career, and put him in the car that sported his favorite number. J.D.’s name was on the car that Hamlin drove into Gatorade Victory Lane.
“As far as the Gibbs family, it’s just great hearing that Joe (Gibbs) and everything that he has accomplished in his life, I mean, he’s an NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, and saying that this is the biggest win of his career is just special,” said Hamlin. “It’s just special for me to be able to deliver that to him in a special way. I know he would have been happy with any one of his cars going out there and getting a victory, but obviously one with his son’s name on the door and number is probably a little more special.”
Hamlin dreamed of winning the DAYTONA 500 driving for Joe Gibbs as young boy. In 1992, he met the legendary Washington Redskins coach when Joe Gibbs just started his race team. Hamlin told Gibbs that he was going to drive for him. Twenty-seven years later, Hamlin celebrated one of the biggest wins of his career driving for his hero.
Fans can see DAYTONA 500 Champion Denny Hamlin at his home track when NASCAR returns to Richmond for the Toyota Spring Race Weekend on April 12-13. To learn more about the April Cup Ticket & DC Solar FanGrounds Ticket Package or other ticket offers, visit richmondraceway.com/offers.
Richmond Raceway PR
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