Hamlin Can Build On Car Number History at Bristol:
March 18, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Hamlin Can Build On Car Number History at Bristol: Ned Jarrett drove the #11 car to a third-place finish in the first race at Bristol in July 1961. He also drove the car to its first victory at Bristol in July 1965. Since then, the #11 car has been synonymous with Victory Lane at the track. In 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races since Jarretts victory, the #11 car has won the race 17 times. Credit team owner Junior Johnson, who fielded the #11 car for those 17 victories. Three-time champion Cale Yarborough drove for Johnson in the 1970s and made Bristol his personal playground, winning nine of 16 races from 1973-1980. Two that he lost were won by a flashy young driver named Darrell Waltrip.”The 11 number and Bristol certainly go together,” said Darrell Waltrip, who leads all drivers with 12 wins at the track.”With all of the wins Junior has been a car owner for, that makes that number special when you go to Bristol.” When Yarborough decided to scale back his career after the 1980 season, Waltrip gladly moved over to take the ride.”When I got out of the 88 and into the 11, I had my credentials and I was prepared, at the top of my game, and then they gave me that race car to drive “¦ I couldnt lose,” Waltrip said.(NASCAR PR)(3-18-2009)
