Way to go Wheels

[DriveitinDeep]

Congratulations to Denny Hamlin and the whole Fed Ex 11 Team on their first Nextel win. Way to go to their team engineer, our own Mike Wheeler! :applause:

[W. J.]

Absolutely, congrats to that whole team on repairing their car and putting it up front when it counts.

Also, nice to hear that Ed D'Hondt is working again as a spotter for Bobby LaBonte.

[LongIslandJam]

Good work FedEx #11 team, including a former Late Model crewmember, Mr. Wheels Mike Wheeler!

[AnneMarie]

Congratulations to Long Island's own Mike Wheeler and his Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Fed Ex Ground Chevrolet Race Team for their first points paying win in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series today at Pocono.
Rookie Denny Hamlin secured the pole and recovered from a spin due to a tire problem in order to capture today's checkers in the Pocono 500.

Before moving to North Carolina in 2002, "Wheels", as we all know and love him as, grew up working on Late Models (I believe with driver Roger Oxee) as well as serving as Crew Chief with TS Haulers in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (formerly known as the Featherlite Modified Tour) with drivers Bo Gunning and Tommy Cravenho Jr.
With a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Automotive Design, and an offer in hand from Joe Gibbs Racing, Wheels made his debut as engineer in the NASCAR Busch Series Program with driver Mike Bliss as well as JGR's Driver Diversity / Development Program which also included driver Denny Hamlin and Aric Almirola. ( Almirola is running a full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the #75 Husqvarna Chevy Silverado and also piloting the #19 ConAgra Chevrolet in select Busch Series races )
With a win under his belt with the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet, Wheels remained working at JGR's Busch race shop and traveled consecutively ( even on the off season for testing ) for 2 years before graduating up to NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Program where he continues to serve as engineer.
Wheel's first win in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series came at Daytona International Speedway when Denny Hamlin won the Budweiser Shootout. Although not a points paying race, the victory was just as sweet and the sacrafices were finally starting to pay off.
Wheels still travels just as much, if not more, but the benefits are proof come race day where Wheels can now be found atop the pit box next to Crew Chief Mike Ford. It won't be long before you will see another talent from Long Island calling the shots!
Today's win in the Pocono 500 put Denny Hamlin and the #11 Fed Ex Monte Carlo SS Race Team 9th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Points Standings.

All the continued success Wheels!!!

[BOWATCHER]

Wheels All I'm gonna say is First Round is on you/ forever!!!!!! Bo is probably smiling ear to ear LOL!!!!!!

[Jeff T]

Congrat's to "Wheels", Denny Hamlin and the entire Fed Ex team! Domination was the word for the day today. We're all happy for you Mike. I'm sure that there will be many more wins to come.

Go Get 'Em in Michigan next week!
Jeff