Hamlin tests out a different ride

So what was Denny Hamlin doing driving the No. 00 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota during the test last week at Phoenix International Raceway? Was he looking for a different feel with a car powered by fuel injection or just a different feel all together? Joe Gibbs Racing Senior VP of Racing Operations Jimmy Makar says all of the company's drivers asked to test the car because JGR has yet to test electronic fuel injection. With JGR's upcoming collaboration with Toyota Racing Development engines in 2012, there's really been no reason to work on fuel injection internally. TRD has extensive experience with EFI and has handled the development at its complex in Costa Mesa, Calif. "We talked about getting in and out of the car because we haven't done an EFI test with a Gibbs car yet," Makar said. "The only one that Toyota has is Waltrip's EFI car/TRD's car. We were trying to get them in (at an earlier test) but the timing wasn't right. We want to get all our guys in it to see what the cars respond like compared to the carburetors because none of our guys have felt that before. "That's the main reason we want to get them all in there. But sure, that can always be a help for a driver to get in somebody else's car and drive it. Obviously, that EFI car wasn't necessarily an exact representation of the MWR cars are. It's a little older car without all the latest and greatest stuff but it may have given him a little different feel that he was curious about when he drove it." Makar said Hamlin had questions regarding the car once he got out -- but it was "kind of a side bite from driving it." Hamlin has been searching for answers all season for where the magic has gone. Following a career-best eight wins and a dominating performance in the 2010 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup -- up until the final two races -- Hamlin has barely been a blip on the NASCAR radar this season. With one win, four top-fives, 10 top 10s and an average finish of 17.1, Hamlin squeezed into the Chase by a mere 13 points. Hamlin said last Friday at Kansas Speedway to expect his numbers over the next few weeks to be "very spiky" while the No. 11 team experiments with a variety of "different packages" to try to improve performance. And with the rash of engine failures JGR has experienced this year, including a DNF for Hamlin at Fontana and blown power plants during practice, not surprisingly the No. 11 team elected to adopt the TRD power plants as of the Michigan race in August eight races ago. He qualified fourth at Michigan and posted three consecutive top 10 finishes in the following events. "I feel like there's some stuff within our cars and stuff that we need to work on, but we're not going to get to that until next year," Hamlin said. "It takes a long process to develop cars the way -- when drivers want to change them it takes a long time to get it done. "So, I feel like we've got some good things in the works. As long as everyone is open-minded at the shop these next seven weeks to a bunch of radical changes, I think that we have the potential to head in the right direction. I think that you'll see in the next two to three weeks that we will be heading in the right direction." From a personal standpoint, Hamlin started working with prominent sports psychologist Bob Rotella, a recommendation from bossman Joe Gibbs. Publicly, Hamlin has always maintained an even keel. But questions still persist regarding his relationship with crew chief Mike Ford, despite Hamlin's continual vote of approval. "Success kind of takes care of everything," Makar said. "So it's not really uncommon to have differences, issues, things to work through when things aren't going as well as you'd like it to go. I think it's just part of growing. They really haven't had any real big problems to work through. "I think this is the first real test of can they do it and how it comes out on the other end. We've all seen what happens (when it doesn't work). I hope they can. The goal is to work through these things and then get stronger as you move forward. I don't see any reason why they can't -- unless they don't want to." With rumors swirling regarding the departure of Greg Zipadelli at the end of this season, could a crew chief swap be in the offing? Not likely according to Makar, who's not a firm believer in just moving people around. However, many were surprised to see Jason Ratcliff working on the No. 20 JGR Nationwide Series car with Joey Logano the last two weeks in place of Adam Stevens. Ratcliff has been the crew chief on the No. 18 NNS car all season. Could Ratcliff be earmarked for Logano in 2012? "I have a lot of respect for Jason, he's done a really, really good job on the Nationwide-side," Makar said. "If something came up on the Cup side, where we had an opening, I certainly think he would be a leading candidate. I think he has the ability. "Our Cup guys and our Nationwide guys -- crew chief-wise -- talk to each other a lot. So they know each other well. I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work if it came up. "I've heard the rumors about Greg and Tony but I don't know where it's going to end up. Until we get a little farther down the road with that we don't need to do anything."