CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Chesterfield County native Denny Hamlin is hoping to win his fourth Daytona 500 as a NASCAR driver — and his first as the part-owner of a team.
Hamlin, who was born in Florida but grew up in Chesterfield, won his first Daytona 500 in 2016, followed by two in a row in 2019 and 2020. At the end of the 2020 season, Hamlin announced that he and NBA legend Michael Jordan would be starting a team, called 23XI Racing.
Three drivers currently race for 23XI Racing; Bubba Wallace, Travis Pastrana and Tyler Reddick. Hamlin currently drives the #11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Following an exhibition race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 5, Hamlin and Reddick, a fellow Toyota driver, suffered from carbon monoxide exposure, according to a report from the Associated Press. Hamlin complained of illness after the exposure, but Reddick said he passed out on the plane ride home.
According to David Wilson, the president of Toyota Racing Development, there is no reason to believe that the exposure was due to a Toyota-specific issue.
Hamlin and the rest of the Toyota drivers skipped the final practice before the Daytona 500 on Saturday, Feb. 18.
Hamlin qualified ninth for the race and is tied with two other drivers as the favorite to win at +1200, according to Yahoo! Sports. The Daytona 500 will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19.
