Denny Hamlin was one jittery dude the first time he raced a NASCAR Sprint Cup car at Kansas Speedway. But that&#8217;s understandable because that was the first time he raced a Sprint Cup car on any track.</p><p>That was back in 2005. He was a 24-year-old who&#8217;s-he. He was getting his shot from Joe Gibbs Racing.</p><p>Remember? He does.</p><p>&#8220;I remember everything about it,&#8221; Hamlin said this week.</p><p>His first memory dated to a pre-race session at the track that year.</p><p>&#8220;We tested at Kansas before the race there and I was really nervous because things were happening so fast,&#8221; Hamlin said. &#8220;I was just getting comfortable in the Busch car and then they came to me and said they wanted me to test with the No. 11 Cup team, and I wasn&#8217;t sure if I was ready.&#8221;</p><p>On race weekend, he practiced and then was sent out to qualify.</p><p>&#8220;My first lap was really quick, top-10 at the time,&#8221; Hamlin said. &#8220;Then I went for a second lap because I thought I could get more out of it and I ended up piling it in the wall. So, that is a pretty vivid Kansas memory for me.&#8221;</p><p>Hamlin started the Sprint Cup race from the seventh position.</p><p>But he faded and finished 32nd.</p><p>&#8220;Not the best start, but we ended up all right,&#8221; Hamlin said. &#8220;The rest is history &#8212; this team has been together ever since and we&#8217;ve had three good years.&#8221;</p><p>Three great years, some would say.</p><p>In 2006, he was chosen the rookie of the year. He won two races, had 20 top-10 finishes and made the Chase that season. He finished the Chase third in points.</p><p>Last season, as a veteran, he made the Chase again and finished 12th in points.</p><p>He is in the Chase again this season. He entered it as the sixth seed and finished ninth in the first race. But last week at Dover was a bummer as he came home 38th.</p><p>&#8220;Dover was really disappointing,&#8221; Hamlin said. &#8220;These guys built a great car and it showed from the start of the race, and then again when we battled back from the speeding penalty. Unfortunately we had some mechanical problems and it bit us.&#8221;</p><p>Which brings him to Kansas this week in need of good things to happen on Sunday in the Camping World RV 400.</p><p>&#8220;It puts us in a tough spot in terms of the Chase, but it doesn&#8217;t change the way we approach racing at Kansas this weekend or at any track for the rest of the season. We&#8217;ll go out there, bring our best stuff and try to win races,&#8221; Hamlin said.