Kevin Hamlin
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racecar driver who has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series divisions.
General information
Starting at Pikes Peak in 2005, he piloted the #4 GeicoGEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
for the Biagi Brothers Racing team, scoring several top fifteen finishes, and was rumored to be in the car full time for the 2006 season, but was released in late November 2005, replaced by Mark Green
Mark Green (NASCAR)
Mark Green is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #49 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series on a part time basis. He is the brother of drivers, Jeff Green and David Green.- Beginnings :...
when team owner Fred Biagi declined to renew his relationship with Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
. He remains under a driver development program
Driver development program
A Driver development program is a program used by racing teams to develop younger drivers. It is widely used in both Formula One and NASCAR, usually consisting of a team signing a driver to a multi-year contract in which they run in minor-league racing divisions A Driver development program is a...
contract with Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
. In 2006, he filled in for teammate Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
in 5 non-companion Nextel Cup/Busch Series events, practicing and qualifying Reed's #41 Busch car which resulted in two top 5 finishes and three top 10 finishes for Sorenson.
Hamlin's driving career starting in the Pacific Northwest at the age of 3, racing dirt ovals on a 50cc 3-wheeler. By the age of 6, he had moved up to Quarter midgets where he won 8 regional and 1 national championship. At age 14, his family purchased a late model to pursue Kevin's career. In 1996 Hamlin began racing at the Super Stock division at Evergreen Speedway
Evergreen Speedway
Evergreen Speedway is an automobile racetrack located within the confines of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington. The stadium can accommodate up to 7500 spectators in the covered grandstand and an additional 7500 in the uncovered modular grandstands...
becoming the youngest winner in the division caption three feature victories in 1997.
In 1998 Hamlin moved up to the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Northwest Series, where in 103 career starts he captured 11 wins, 41 top 5 and 62 top 10 finishes. He was also crowned the 2001 and 2002 Northwest Series Champion and also was named the 2001 and 2003 Most Popular Driver. Hamlin owns NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Northwest Series records for the youngest ever race winner at 19 years 11 months, youngest ever champion at 21 years 6 months and most consecutive laps led at 275 spanning over 3 races.
2006 season
In 2006, Hamlin ran Daytona in the Craftsman Truck Series driving the #04 Dodge Hemi Dodge for Bobby Hamilton RacingBobby Hamilton Racing
Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia was a former NASCAR racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was given ownership after the death of his father, but the younger...
. He also drove the #4 Biagi Brothers Racing Dodge in the Daytona Winn-Dixie 250, due to Biagi's driver Auggie Vidovich not having superspeedway clearance. Hamlin also practiced and qualified the #41 Ganassi Busch car for several races that Sorenson could not attend due to schedule conflicts with the Cup Series events.
2007 season
In early 2007, it was announced that Hamlin and Nextel CupNEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
rookie Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán is a Colombian race car driver known internationally for participating and winning in Formula One and CART race competitions. He has enjoyed great success. Currently, he competes in NASCAR, driving the #42 Target Chevrolet Impala for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in the Sprint...
would split time driving the #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge for Ganassi in the Busch Series. During the Gateway 250, Hamlin earned his first career top 10 finish, a 7th, despite a spin caused by Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
near the later stages of the race. The next week he followed up with a solid 8th place finish at the Kroger 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. It was announced later the next week that the #42 Busch team would be shutting down, effectively ending Kevin's season. However, Ganassi said that he would keep Hamlin in the car for the following two races at Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
and Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
, but the week after the Michigan race, David Stremme
David Stremme
David Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
was slated to drive the car at Bristol due to a last minute sponsor change.
He and his wife Mandi welcomed their first child on November 12, 2007 at Northeast Medical Center in Concord, NC. Daughter, Grace Christine, was born at 3:37 pm and weighed in at 7 lbs, 14 oz.
2008 season
Hamlin ran three Nationwide races in 2008 for Pat MacDonald. He finished 24th at Fontana, 21st in Dover, and crashed at Memphis.2009 season
Hamlin ran a limited Nationwide schedule for a number of teams. At Kentucky, he led two laps while driving for Jay Robinson. Hamlin, normally a spotter for John Andretti, failed to qualify for the Kansas Sprint Cup race for Bob Jenkins.Starting at Texas in the Fall of 2010, Kevin will be the spotter for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer. He will hold this position for the 2011 season as well
He is not related to Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...
.