DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. - When you close your eyes and pray, what actually comes to mind?

Family, has the opportunity to be, or not feeling unwell. Has the ability to be, happiness-who hasn't had the opportunity to apply some luck? - or the probability, or including a few good-hearted peace.

For Joe Gibbs on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, it was all tied up and wrapped together in one pacifying flashback: his late son, j. D. Gibbs, who died last month at 49 years of age after a long struggle with degenerative neurological disease.

commitment. loss. Life lasts.

As a consequence, when Denny Hamlin, just from the Gibbs veterans at Joe Gibbs racing driver J. D. directly spotted at Hickory Motor Speedway in the early 2000-ies, the driver, who devotes 2019 season J. D. who insisted J. D.'s name will be on the fact that No. 11 of the car — rushed to the finish to win race 2 of the Daytona 500, the all these seems to burst.

“I sensually wounded", - drove Joe Gibbs through some seconds subsequently the end of the race. “This is an exceptionally sensual and exceptionally great victory in my life.”

All this started for a certain number of hours before such a, as Hamlin has crossed the final line, with a separate tribute to the 11-th circle of the 200-plus radial form. Taking into account the fact that the number 11 was dressed as a football player at the William & Mary Institute, for example, and as a truck driver, it was clear that it was time to arrange a certain tribute.

Finally, on the 11th lap, all the members of the JGR pit team went and stood at the wall of the pit road, holding a placard with the name of J. D. and at the same time Gibbs went to for himself and blocked the eyes on the memory.

Elementary founder, who recalls his own offspring.

“I do not believe that this is just what happened. I honestly believe that... Gibbs said, his voice was quiet, than before he continued. "I guess God looked down on us, and I take into account that JD and everyone in my family were actually sensual.

“It was an exceptionally significant night in my professional life.”

Actually as for the race, it was the perfect expression of the talent for example was luring JD to Hamelin all those years back. For relatively manual first 190 laps last 10 showed 3 powerful racing disaster, while literally the middle of the field failed to finish the race.

However Hamlin survived unharmed.

"We were simply lucky to be ahead at the right time in order to avoid this," said Hamlin. “I mean in appearance, we were really in a row in front of all the chaos all the time at the end.”

After surviving a whole given mess, the race cap came to Hamlin and JGR teammate Kyle Bush. Hamlin had a choice of where to line up, because He was in the lead during the third and last disaster, and as a result they concluded the position: Bush allowed Hamlin to arrest the outside line (which Hamlin preferred), and then go down in front of him to the bottom, as soon as he would become a leader. Including the active favorite of the series of Cups Joey Logan, the closest to their rear bumpers, it was just what Hamlin dreamed.

"When he gave me the top, I almost cheered up a bit," said Hamlin. "In my textbook it is said:" every time choose a top, without paying attention to anything, independently from such who behind you.’”

By the time Hamlin fell in front of Bush, he had more than enough cushion to seal his own second Daytona 500 win.

Except trivial sensual sense Sunday night, this victory meant for example a large number of for of multiple. Gibbs, who won 3 super Bowl Championships as Washington's head coach, now still had his third Daytona 500 ring. For Hamlin, who went without wins in 2018 and is considered the most victorious intense driver without a championship, it was a welcome reminder that his best days at NASCAR aren't lagging behind him. The head of the crew Chris Gebhart earned their own first victory in a series of Cups in a private 1 race as the brain of the person.

But more than anything, this night was for the one person who wasn't here.

As a result, of course, as soon as he turned out of his own Smoking race car, it's all that Hamlin had the opportunity to say:

“This is for J.”