Denny Hamlin to have surgery on knee

[roosterrage]

Hamlin to have surgery, sub not named: #11-Denny Hamlin will have reconstructive surgery on his left knee Monday, sources close to the driver and Joe Gibbs Racing told ESPN.com. Hamlin, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in December playing pickup basketball, planned to wait until the end of the 2010 season to repair it. But growing fear of long term damage forced his hand, sources said. Sources said Hamlin plans to start every race and doesn't expect to miss any competition, but plans to have a driver on standby for several races just in case. Sources are uncertain at this time whom that driver would be. Per NASCAR rules, the driver that takes the green flag in the car earns the championship points for that race, even if he gets out prematurely. Hamlin's ability to drive the #11 Toyota is more about his pain tolerance than anything else, sources said. Strength-wise he should be fine. If he can handle the pain, he can race, the sources said. Hamlin, widely considered the biggest threat to upend Jimmie Johnson's championship stranglehold, has begun slowly in 2010. He is 19th in the point standings and has yet to earn a top-10 finish in the season's first five events.(ESPN)(3-27-2010)

I wasn't sure Denny would be able to make it the whole year- sounds like a good decision. Calling Ricky Rudd... I wish.

[TeamBlueOval]

Casey Mears has been selected as the sub driver. (I wish it was Ricky Rudd... even though he hasn't driven in a couple of years, he would still be a better choice than Mears IMO!)...

[DeeDee]

I wasn't sure Denny would be able to make it the whole year- sounds like a good decision. Calling Ricky Rudd... I wish.
Man, I WISH!!!!!!

[roosterrage]

Casey isn't the best driver in the world, but he still is a lot better than a good number out there with better full-time rides today. At least the 90 team doesn't appear to want to start and park.

[DeeDee]

Hamlin will have reconstructive surgery on his left knee Monday
With the race postponed, I'm guessing surgery is postponed also? Or will Mears take the wheel?

[mattemmy99]

I think Denny is having it either tonight or Wed...but the weather doesn't look good for today or tomorrow,so if they race on WEd,he will really be cutting it close...I would be scared that if he was invovled in a bad wreck,he wouldn't be able to get out,because of his knee,or like Hammond said,might injure it more,trying to get out...I just hope Denny and Gibbs makes the right choice,and NOT put him in too soon..I like Denny,but sometimes priorities need to change,esepcially when safety is involved...I felt the same way with Carl last year, after his frisbee incident.I was hesitant with him getting in with a cast on his foot. With the wrecks Nascar has had lately,I would be very scared to put an injured driver in the car.

[Dog]

He said he would move it back to the next day ( which you must know by now lol)

Denny made some run, didn't he?

[DeeDee]

yes he did
I thought he was crazy pitting at the end there, but it worked out :-o

[RacingDude]

Not too shabby for Denny and the 11 team! I thought for sure he'd thrown a win away by pitting with so few laps left, but he made it work.

[yatesracing]

Not too shabby for Denny and the 11 team! I thought for sure he'd thrown a win away by pitting with so few laps left, but he made it work.He didn't make it work Jeffie Poo and Kenseth made it work

[Dog]

well if you want to go like that, Kyle Busch and whoever he had contact with

[yatesracing]

kYLEEEEEEEE----hE HAD PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN --From what I have read

[RacingDude]

He didn't make it work Jeffie Poo and Kenseth made it work

How so? They weren't standing in Victory Lane. ;)

[yatesracing]

Maybe not but Kenseth should have. Without him you could bet Hamlin would not be there . Being in Victory Lane doesn't always mean your better just Lucky.

[TeamBlueOval]

I think what Yatesracing means is that Jeff and Kenseth made it work FOR Hamlin. They gave him the win, basically....

[mattemmy99]

well if you want to go like that, Kyle Busch and whoever he had contact with


Thought he had contact with Menard????

[RacingDude]

I think what Yatesracing means is that Jeff and Kenseth made it work FOR Hamlin. They gave him the win, basically....

Yeah, I thought about that after I made my post. LOL

At first I thought yatesracing was saying that Jeff and Matt made it work for themselves.

[TeamBlueOval]

They kind of screwed it up for themselves beating into each other on the backstretch... Roush cars are usually awful at Martinsville, so I was pretty pleased with how they were running Monday.

[Dog]

Well I know this is one sided comments, but it's the only thing I've heard. From Jeff Gordon

He said he was going into turn one with a lot of space and then Matt ran into Jeff Gordon and he made sure Matt wasn't going to win

[Dog]

Thought he had contact with Menard????

sounds right

[mattemmy99]

I still can't believe Kyle didn't say anything about that...even tho,I did watch the race WED night,and looks like Kyle wasa doing about the same of pushing as Menard,and Kyle "lost" the battle.....LOL