Event Information: Track: Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile paved oval); Race: United Way 300 presented by Yellow Transportation and Sprint (Race No. 30 of 35 in the NASCAR Busch Series); Length: 300 miles, 200 laps; Date: Saturday, October 8th; 2005; Time: 2:10 p.m. ET; Broadcast Schedule: Broadcast live on NBC at 2 p.m. ET, radio coverage provided by MRN and XM Satellite radio; Qualifying: Qualifying will be broadcast live on the SPEED Channel at 5 p.m., Friday, October 7th.
Post Race Review: Dover International Speedway: Teamwork was the theme of the weekend for Kevin Hamlin and the No. 4 GEICO Dodge after a tough weekend at the “Monster Mile”. On-track accidents claimed two cars and left the developmental driver for Chip Ganassi Racing thankful for the hard work by his team and the help from Ganassi’s in-house Busch team. After slamming the wall in qualifying, the GEICO team united to prepare the backup car for Saturday’s race. With help from Reed Sorenson’s No. 41 Discount Tire crew, the backup car was prepared in record time and ready to race. “The car just got away from me and we got into the wall pretty good,” said Hamlin after qualifying. “We’ll get the backup out and just keep diggin’ tomorrow.” Diggin’ is just what Hamlin tried to do when the race got underway, but a 13-car wreck on lap two would hamper Hamlin’s progress as he got caught up in the melee and suffered damage to the front and rear of his GEICO Dodge. “We started the race in our backup car and were just kind of feeling it out because I hadn’t made any laps in the car. We just got caught up in the wreck off of turn two that took out a lot of good cars. It was just an unfortunate weekend.” The GEICO team converged again to repair their mangled machine, returning Hamlin to the track 47 laps down in 43rd position. Hamlin remained on the track for 12 laps before bringing the GEICO Dodge behind the wall to call it a day. “When something like that happens, the team really needs to pull together and work together and put their noses to the ground and get after it,” said Hamlin. “That’s just what the guys on my GEICO team did. It was a bad situation, but the teamwork there got stepped up to another level. It was very encouraging.” Hamlin picked up nine spots on the scoring sheets to finish 34th in the Dover 200.
...On Traveling to the Gulf Coast: Kevin Hamlin joined fellow NASCAR driver’s Casey Mears and David Stremme last Thursday in a short trip to the Gulf Coast to see firsthand the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Hamlin was stunned by the destruction. “You can’t really put it into words when you see that sort of destruction in person,” he said. “We got to see the area and it's right where the eye of the hurricane hit.” The trio provided airlift support to Charlotte SWAT team members who are protecting Carolina Medical Center’s mobile hospital, MED-1 in Waveland, MS. “It was a very eye opening experience,” continued Hamlin. “I flew down with Casey and David as we gave some Charlotte SWAT team members a lift down. We also brought some guys back who had been down there for awhile.” According to WCNC, Carolinas’ News Channel, MED-1 has treated over 5,000 patients in the past five weeks.
…On his Off-Weekend Activities: “It was nice to have a weekend off. I just stayed in town, golfed a little bit, hung out with the wife and dog, and went to a team BBQ. All in all, I just got to relax and hang out. It was nice!”
…On Racing at Kansas Speedway: “My first and only NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start came in Kansas, so it's nice to go back to a track I've been to before. It's a great facility and a very nice area. Turn one was tough because it's bumpy and you can't arc the car into the corner like you want too; at least that's the feeling I got in the truck. I'm excited to go back. My wife has family in Nebraska that will make the trip up to watch, which is nice.”
…On his Kansas Car: “We're taking the 010 car, which we ran at Michigan. It's a good car that reacts to changes, and we got good front end travel out of it the last time we raced it.”
Hamlin’s Kansas Appearances: Kevin Hamlin will support The Salvation Army in their Accelerating for Hope: Pit Yourself Against the Pros event at T-Bones Stadium on Thursday, October 6th. Hamlin will play video games against local sports celebrities, persons who pay $50 for the opportunity to challenge him, or other NASCAR drivers between 7 and 7:30 p.m. “I can't wait to participate in that,” said Hamlin, who is an avid video game enthusiast. “Appearances where you get to interact with the fans are so much fun and playing video games head to head with fans to raise money; you can't beat that.” Hamlin will also sign autographs and greet fans from 7:30 to 8 p.m. T-Bones Stadium is located directly across from the Kansas Speedway at 1800 Village West Parkway.
