Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Hamlin tops first LVMS session

Denny Hamlin posted the fastest lap during Monday morning's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, touring the 1.5-mile oval in 30.292 seconds (178.265 mph).

Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 FedEx Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, predicted the racing would improve when the series returns to LVMS for the UAW-Dodge 400 on March 2. Last year, drivers complained of the racing conditions because of the combination of the newly repaved racing surface and a hard tire supplied by Goodyear.

"It seems like it's gotten a lot better," Hamlin said. "Last year, I remember when we came here you couldn't even hardly run two laps without getting in a wreck. The tires were so hard, the (track) surface was new and the speeds were up so that it really made it out of control. But these cars, being a little bit slower, the tire compound might be a little bit softer and the track's aged, which has really been the biggest benefit so far.

"I think it's going to be a lot better racing than what you saw here the first time after the track got paved."

Hamlin was followed in Monday morning's session by Clint Bowyer (30.292 seconds at 178.259 mph) in a Chevy and Matt Kenseth (30.311 at 178.153) in a Ford. Elliott Sadler turned the fastest lap of the Dodge drivers; he was ninth at 30.355 at 177.895).

Monday morning's session, which saw 49 drivers take to the track, was cut short by about an hour due to a light rain. The cars were back on the track for the afternoon session. The test will continue Tuesday.

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